It's about a 1 hour and 30 minute flight from Tokyo's Haneda Airport.

Are you familiar with the comfortable "long-stay" experience in Kushiro City, located on the eastern side of Hokkaido, that feels just like being abroad?

Even in Hokkaido, there are many municipalities where temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius in the summer, but in this area, centered around Kushiro and its surrounding municipalities, the average temperature in July and August is surprisingly around 21 degrees Celsius! That's more than a 10-degree difference from Tokyo or Osaka.

If you take a good look at the weather forecast, you'll notice this huge temperature difference.

Long-term stays in the cool climate of Kushiro have gradually gained popularity over the past few years, and it has now been the number one destination in Hokkaido for long-term stays for five consecutive years.
As of the end of July 2016, there had already been 300 groups totaling 459 people, with a total of 15288 days of stay. This is about twice the number of groups (149) from the previous year.

This article explores the appeal of long-term stays in Kushiro, a city that's gaining popularity for its comfortable lifestyle, with some people even spending half the year there!

<Contents>
1. This is how I'm enjoying my stay!
2. Try moving to Kushiro!
3. Support for your stay in Kushiro City

When spending an extended period abroad, the summer heat is a major obstacle to enjoying a relaxing time.

But this summer, even though I'm still in Japan, everything feels different.
"That's what Mr. A, a long-term resident who enjoys strolling around the city every day, says.

Kushiro City in Hokkaido has a population of approximately 175,000. Including neighboring municipalities, it is the economic center of eastern Hokkaido, serving a living area of ​​about 300,000 people.

Summers are cool, and there is little snow in winter.

Kushiro, with its well-established reputation for being a comfortable place to live—a compact city with just the right amount of urban amenities—has become recognized in recent years as one of Japan's best summer resorts.

The sunshine and heat are just right for this time of year in the middle of summer.
Surrounded by Kushiro Port, one of Japan's leading fishing ports, and with Harutori Lake just a 5-6 minute drive from the city center, it's a great place to enjoy sports and other activities.

And there are many hot springs in the surrounding area.

Furthermore, the food is exceptionally delicious, and if you go to the suburbs surrounded by nature, you can enjoy a wide variety of activities in places like Akan, which boasts magnificent natural scenery.

Kushiro is sometimes called "Japan's London" because the cityscape becomes particularly ethereal due to the dense fog in the summer.

The town's tagline is "Kushiro, a foreign land," and indeed, there are many picturesque and romantic scenes everywhere, perfect for taking photos, which will leave you completely captivated.

Most long-term residents are from the Kanto region, followed by the Kansai region.
Some guests are staying as couples, while others are enjoying this cool summer on their own.

"In the middle of summer, the fact that you can sleep soundly at night without being unable to sleep due to the heat is what's truly valuable."

"During the day, it's a compact city, so you don't need to move around too much to get around."

"In the mornings, I read at the library, and in the afternoons, I take walks in Harutori Park."

During our interviews, we were able to hear various opinions about their stay from the people who were staying there.

I heard from many people, but the comment that stuck with me the most was, "I feel like I've missed out because I didn't know there was such a comfortable summer."

This time, we were able to hear from a woman who moved from Kobe in the Kansai region to Kushiro in Hokkaido.
She's a lovely woman in her twenties with a beautiful smile, who spent her university years in Hokkaido and is originally from Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture.

We asked her about her thoughts on moving to the area, as she currently works at a farm on the outskirts of Kushiro City, managing dairy cows and supplying vegetables grown on the farm to supermarkets.

"You've been living here for two years now. Could you please share your honest impressions of Kushiro?"

"I'm used to living in Hokkaido because I was there for university, but I never imagined I'd end up living in eastern Hokkaido. It's completely different from when I lived in Sapporo."

Although the journey from Sapporo to Kushiro now takes about four hours by car using the expressway, Hokkaido is vast, so travel time is still a concern for those coming from the Kanto or Kansai regions. Even within Hokkaido, the environment and climate vary.

First of all, what I feel after living in this area is a strong belief that if something doesn't exist, you can just create it.

Having worked for an agricultural materials manufacturer after graduating, he said that the flow of time has completely changed since his days as a salaried worker, and he didn't really have a strong image of Kushiro at that time.

For some reason, I imagine it as a port town with wetlands, not a very bustling place.

Although she didn't have a particularly bright image, she now belongs to an organization of young women working in dairy farming in this region, and is producing wonderful products and developing innovative activity plans.

The group's name is "Beccotto".

When I checked Facebook, I found lots of wonderful photos.
It really came across how much you enjoy your life and work in dairy farming in eastern Hokkaido.

She also has a photo exhibition planned for the fall, and she showed me some of the works she has photographed to date.

The combination of a sunset and cows is a testament to her unique sense of style.
I was shown a truly moving photograph.

This year, once again, a great many people from outside Hokkaido have stayed in Kushiro for extended periods of about three months between June and October, and we hear from many people that they would like to eventually move here in a few years!

The voices of people like her, who moved to this area at a young age, are invaluable when it comes to the community.
I was able to hear a very positive and wonderful story from someone who spoke with a big smile about the charms of living in eastern Hokkaido.

Kushiro City is currently attracting attention as a place for people to live in two different locations.
While some people already own a home, a few are also purchasing properties in Kushiro, Hokkaido, that serve as vacation homes for their retirement or summer getaways.

Because real estate can be purchased at lower prices compared to major metropolitan areas, some people come for long-term stays with the purpose of scouting out potential relocation destinations.

More than six years ago, Kushiro City established the "Kushiro Long-Term Stay Business Research Association," a long-term stay support group mainly composed of relevant private companies within the city. The association has an office located within the Kushiro City Hall that provides support to migrants not only during the summer but throughout the year.

Starting this year, Kushiro City Hall has begun issuing cards that allow long-term visitors to use certain facilities in the city (such as swimming pools, museums, and art galleries) at the same rates as Kushiro residents.

It's called the "Kushiro Stay Members Card".

Apparently, many people are already coming to the office every day to apply for long-term stays.
(For details on how to apply, please see the information below.)

Kushiro City is a popular compact city with a well-established support system.
The number of people staying not only in summer, but also in spring, autumn, and winter, captivated by the unique charms of each season, is gradually increasing.

Everyone, if you're planning a long stay in Hokkaido, why not consider visiting "Cool Kushiro"?

【information】

Application requirements for the "Kushiro Stay Members Card"
① Long-term stays(However, this excludes stays and camps for business trips, training, caregiving, temporary employment, temporary shelter, political activities, religious activities, and cases that fall under the Kushiro City Ordinance on the Elimination of Organized Crime Groups.)
② People who live in two different locations(This applies to individuals who reside outside of Kushiro City and have purchased a second home or entered into a long-term rental agreement. However, this excludes cases of stays that are not covered, similar to long-term stays.)

*Please submit the application form (including a short questionnaire) and a copy of the lease agreement or receipt related to your tenancy.

◎For applications and further inquiries, please contact the following:
Kushiro City, General Policy Department, Citizen Collaboration Promotion Division, Citizen Collaboration Section
Telephone number: 0154-31-4504
Fax number: 0154-23-5220

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