| Dialect (方言) with standard Japanese in parentheses:
- namara shibareru be = It's extremely cold! (totemo samui da)
- gattsuri = very, extremely, with force (totemo, sugoi)
- joppin = lock (kagi)
- kisha = train (densha) densha means streetcar in Hakodate
- nanmo = nothing (nandemo nai)
- menkoi = cute (kawaii)
- kowai = tired (tsukareta)
- beko = cow (ushi)
- mitakunai = ugly (minikui)
- bakuru = trade, exchange (koukan suru)
- kajiru = to bite (kamu)
- azumashii = good feeling, pleasant (kokochi ga yoi)
- dabesa = don't you think, I agree (dayone)
- waya = very, messy (taihen, mechakucha)
Southern Hokkaido (南北海道)
- Esashi has a deep port and a massive protected marina. Kamomejima (Seagull Island), if it were ever an island, is now connected to land a long dock. The annual festival there is billed as Hokkaido's oldest continuous, at some 370 years and running.
- Mount Esan is Hokkaido's southermost active volcano, but don't let that keep you away. Try visiting during their annual azalea fair in May, hiking up one of the trails to look down on a sea of pink is worth the effort.
- Shiriuchi is the birthplace of Kitajima Saburo, who could probably be best described as the Japanese Frank Sinatra.
- Matsumae is best known for its history as the Tokugawa Shogunate's foothold in Hokkaido,and presently as a must-see "hanami" cherry blossom viewing destination. Factor in Hokkaido's only authentic Japanese castle and a well-preserved Edo-era town as a backdrop, it is well worth a visit during any season.
- Within commuting distance of Hakodate is Hokuto City (formerly Kamiiso) which may be the only part of southern Hokkaido where the population is not rapidly falling, due to affordable new housing developments that lure young homebuyers and their families away from Hakodate proper.
- Mori sits on the slopes of the Komagatake mountain and is most famous for its proximity to an imposing stratovolcano. Anybody passing through Mori must try the rice-stuffed squid known as "ikameshi", as it is their most famous product. Also, despite a distinctive small-town feel, Mori takes their "hanami" quite seriously, lining up vendors and everything.
- Onuma is a beautiful quasi-national park that includes lakes formed by volcano mud and lava flows. It is an all-season destination for camping on the lakeside during summer, viewing the breathtaking autumn broadleaf foliage as it changes colors, taking time off for some ice-fishing over winter.
- To be profiled: Nanae, Oshamanbe, Yakumo, Shikabe, Minami-Kayabe
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