 At the time, Hokkaidō was still largely unsettled by the Japanese, being occupied primarily by the indigenous Ainu.In 1910, Ueshiba travelled to Hokkaidō in the company of his acquaintance Denzaburo Kurahashi, who had lived on the northern island before.His intent was to scout out a propitious location for a new settlement, and he found the site at Shirataki suitable for his plans.