The Ainu people of Japan are thought to have colonised Hokkaido in 14,000 BC, and considered themselves independant from the rest of Japan, until they were captured in 1426.
The climate of Hokkaido is cool in summer, with an average temperature of 20°C, and icy/snowy in winter, with an average temperature of -3°C. They get lots of rain in summer and not as much in winter.
Hokkaido features many mountain ranges like the Ishikari ranges and the Hidaka Mountains, but also has a lot of flatlands. The ainu people believed that the land was important and should be treated with respect, as they had many gods such as the god of dirt, and the god of grass, that resided in the land.
