Deer at the northern end of Hokkaido Island !

by Chis.

I found a herd of deer strolling around the Citizen Park of Wakkanai City after our business jaunt to the islands.

I am not sure whether they could find any food on this hill but the scenery might bring something hilarious even for them.  

The farmers have been complaining that they were not cultivating veggies and crops for deer ! The damage brought by deer is devastating in Hokkaido. Now that no wolves are in Hokkaido, human beings have to adjust the number of deer in Hokkaido to co-exist.

We Japanese don't consume venison so much but we have to kill deer much more than we eat. The hunters in Hokkaido are aging and decreasing. We have to develop the market and increase the number of hunters.

They also struggling to live on this island and have to eat something. They eat even the bark of trees in winter. They may be eating small buds of plants on the hill.

If they could eat sea weed, would they manage to live on that strolling along the coast ? I have never seen them on the beach.

This is "the must" to buy for us in Wakkanai City. Ojika Confections makes the rice cake that contains the sweet red-beans paste. The rice cake that cover the red-beans paste is so soft and tasty. A little bit salt contained in the rice cake make the whole cake much better and mocha taste gives it a twist.

The subtle aroma is so nice and attracting. If you have a chance to visit Wakkanai City, please try the cake and shoot me an email !