Hokkaido (Japanese: 北海道, Hepburn: Hokkaidō, pronounced [hokkaꜜidoː] ⓘ, lit. ' Northern Sea Circuit; Ainu: Ainu Moshiri, ' or ' Land of the Ainu ') [2] is the second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. [3]