In vino veritas. In wine there is truth. And in Hokkaido there is wine. Living in Hokkaido has its perks, and I set out recently seeking my truth on a long-weekend getaway with my family in central Hokkaido's wine region.
It's a three-hour drive from Sapporo to Furano, approximately 180 km to the northeast. The first hour is on the expressway. From a view of buildings and cars on all sides, soon there was nothing but the forest and the soft hum of my engine.
Just north of Furano, I caught a glimpse of a telling sign, "12 km to the next Lawson." It was at that point that I felt I had finally escaped.