A certain sign at New Chitose Airport, the aerial gateway to Hokkaido, is causing a stir on social media.

A famous sight at New Chitose Airport Station, the 'Board That Makes Those Who Underestimate Hokkaido Reflect'.

Source: Post by @imawo_harubeto

Located just outside the ticket gates of JR New Chitose Airport Station is a sign with a map overlaying Hokkaido on top of Honshu, Japan's main island. The way Hokkaido stretches across numerous prefectures is a stark reminder of its vastness. On social media, comments poured in, such as, "Hokkaido is ridiculously huge!" and "Is this the so-called 'view from the north'...?"

Others expressed surprise at the travel distances between cities, saying, "The distance between Sapporo and Hakodate is longer than from Nagoya to Osaka," and "Even just getting from Otaru to Sapporo takes nearly an hour..." It seems many people have had tough experiences due to underestimating travel times when planning their trips.

The sign is located in front of the ticket gates at New Chitose Airport Station.

Looking at it again, the design seems to scream at tourists, "It's impossible to see all of Hokkaido in one trip!" Seeing this sign at the very beginning of a Hokkaido journey might just be effective in getting people to reconsider their itineraries early on... So, when you plan your trip to Hokkaido, please be mindful of its size!