Hokkaido Island

Hokkaido is the second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The island is separated from Honshu by the Tsugaru Strait and is connected to it by the Seikan Tunnel. Hokkaido has a colder climate than the rest of Japan, with significant snowfall each winter, but it serves as an agricultural breadbasket for many crops. The island was formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso and was primarily inhabited by the Ainu people until it was annexed and colonized by Japan in 1869. The Ainu were dispossessed of their land and forced to assimilate into Japanese society, resulting in the majority of Japanese of Ainu descent having no knowledge of their heritage and culture. The name "Hokkaido" was chosen by the Meiji government in 1869, and it is derived from the Ainu word "kai" and the Japanese word for "north".learn more on wikipedia