【北大生に聞いた】「満員電車がない！」「東京よりも四季が豊か」"北海道に来て驚いたこと"を北海道大学の新入生にインタビュー！約7割が道外出身 新1年生のリアルな本音＜どーみん感覚ボイス＞

Approximately 2,600 students enrolled at Hokkaido University this year. In fact, 70% are from outside Hokkaido. We asked first-year students at Hokkaido University, who have just started their new lives, about what surprised them most about Hokkaido. A freshman from Tokyo said they were deeply moved by the scenery they saw while walking around the campus. "Seeing the cherry blossoms blooming at Hokkaido University, I realized that the seasons change more slowly here than in Tokyo, and that the four seasons are truly rich," (Tokyo native) "I decided on Hokkaido University after a trip to Hokkaido in my second year of high school. I went with a free pass, and after seeing Hokkaido's nature, I thought, 'I want to go to Hokkaido from Tokyo as soon as possible,'" (Tokyo native) A freshman from Aichi Prefecture aimed for Hokkaido University because they longed to live alone in Hokkaido. "Hokkaido University is incredibly green, and I like that I can relax just walking around the campus," (Aichi Prefecture native) They also seem to be enjoying cooking for themselves, saying with a smile, "I enjoy shopping and cooking. I can't help but buy shiso leaves from Aichi Prefecture whenever I find them." One freshman from Kanagawa Prefecture was surprised by the difference from the morning commute. "In high school, I commuted to Yokohama every day on a packed train, so I'm really happy that there aren't any packed trains here. (Sapporo) is only a little crowded in the mornings, and it's never really packed to the brim." (From Kanagawa Prefecture) We also spoke to a student from China who arrived in Japan last September. "The snow was about 70 centimeters deep, which I thought was too much. My hometown is in southern China, where there's hardly any snow, so this was my first encounter with snow. I thought it was beautiful." (From China) On the other hand, some freshmen were bewildered by the cold spring weather in Hokkaido. "For some reason, my apartment has single-pane windows. In early April, I was sleeping with two or three blankets piled on top of each other." (From Gifu Prefecture) Despite enduring the cold, one student joined a figure skating club. "Since I came all the way to Hokkaido, I thought, Hokkaido means snow, and snow means skating. I tried it and I'm hooked," she said, adding that there will be a competition in February or March next year. While surprised by the climate and lifestyle so different from their hometowns, the Hokkaido University students were all enjoying their new lives.