Surrounded by beautiful fjords, Greenland is the world’s largest island and is said to have fewer people than dogs. Although it is an autonomous territory of Denmark, it is also known that US President Donald Trump has long expressed his intention to purchase Greenland, stating that “Greenland is necessary for national security.” This time, we went to investigate Greenland, which is attracting a lot of attention despite being located at the end of the world. The ccTLD (Country Code Top Level Domain) assigned to Greenland is “.gl“is.
♦Where is Greenland?
Greenland is an autonomous territory belonging to the Kingdom of Denmark and is the world’s largest island with a total area of approximately 2.16 million km². Most of it is located in the Arctic Circle, and most of it is covered by ice sheets. The largest town is Nuuk, and it is one of the least populated capitals in the world. In this region, the summer is marked by the midnight sun, when the sun never sets, and the winter is marked by the polar night, when the sun never rises. Greenland isAreas with extremely high suicide rateshas become the subject of research and discussion. The population is approximately 56,000 people, and the currency used is the Danish krone (1 kr = approximately 21 yen). The official languages are Greenlandic (Karalit) and Danish. The time difference with Japan is -11 hours. (Each information is as of July 2025)
·table of contents
♦The colorful streets of Nuuk are extremely cold even in summer
♦National Museum where baby mummies and Japanese literature are kept
♦The only record store in Greenland run by a bandman who has experience performing in Japan.
♦Ilulissat is a city where spectacular views of icebergs are a daily occurrence
♦Okatost is a village of 40 people who come to draw water from the only faucet on the island.
♦“Inuit Cafe” where you can enjoy musk deer steak
♦.gl domain seen on the street
♦Local SIM speed survey
♦The colorful streets of Nuuk are extremely cold even in summer
The Domain Explorers boarded an Air Greenland aircraft to head to Greenland. Direct flight from Copenhagen to Nuuk. This route is known for its frequent delays due to bad weather, but this time I was lucky to be able to depart on time.
However, just before arriving at Nuuk Airport, the aircraft was hit by strong winds and failed to land the first time. When they successfully landed on their second attempt, the plane erupted into spontaneous applause and cheers. When I got off the plane, I walked 50 meters to the terminal, but ended up getting hit by ice particles. My whole body was exposed to the baptism of the northern land, and I was drenched and shivering. From the airport, take a taxi to the hotel.
Accommodation “HHE Express” Arrived at. The building looks like a clean business hotel, and the view of Nuuk’s cityscape from the room window is cute and colorful.
In front of the hotel was a cemetery with white crosses stuck casually into the ground, something you don’t often see in Japan.
I decided to take a taxi and look around the city. Our driver, Aron, said, “Nuk is a small town, so you can walk around everything,” and he happily agreed to guide us.
I was first guidednook school(Nuuk School), an elementary school called Atuarfik Inussuk in the local language. At first glance, it looks like a modern and impressive school building, but apparently it cannot be used because the evacuation routes do not meet building standards.
The City Hall building is unusual among government-related buildings, with two old and new buildings lined up side by side. It is said that about 40% of Greenland’s employment is in the government. According to Aron, Greenland is so peaceful that the prime minister does not have a bodyguard and there is no security guard in this building.
Houses are built in a variety of colors, but in the past, they were coded according to purpose, such as “red for schools”, “black for police”, and “yellow for medical related”. This doctor’s house was yellow, just as it used to be.
At the kayak workshop, kayaks were handcrafted to suit each person’s body shape.
This is a former whale oil refinery. In the days when there was no electricity, whale oil extracted from whales was a valuable energy resource useful for lighting and fuel, and whale oil refining was a major industry in Greenland. One of the reasons Denmark turned to Greenland was the value of whale oil and the wealth it could generate.
A shopping mall that can be said to be the center of life for the people of Nuuk.nook center” had a wide selection of vegetables, daily necessities, souvenirs, meat, and more. When I looked on the internet beforehand, I saw information that they also had seal meat, but I couldn’t find it after searching around the store, and when I asked the locals, they said they didn’t have it. disappointing.
A missionary who came to Greenland in the 18th century stands on a rocky mountain overlooking the port of Nuuk.Hans AedeStatue of. While he is known as the man who founded the city, he has also become the subject of debate as a symbol of colonial rule. This is also said to be a place that quietly tells the story of the complexity of Greenland’s history.
♦National Museum where baby mummies and Japanese literature are kept
In the center of town is the Greenland National Museum. Here, the ancient Inuit lifestyle, tools, clothing, and rituals are carefully displayed. Admission fee is 100 kr (approximately 2,100 yen) for adults.
Dog sleds were a very important means of transportation for the people of Greenland.
Warm clothing made from animal skin. The clothes on the right are made from polar bear skin.
The museum’s most famous exhibits are mummies that were buried around 1475. The four mummies, including the baby, which were naturally preserved by the cold earth, were an impressive exhibit that stopped visitors in their tracks.
The “Koshi Tojiryaku” was on display as a record of Greenland’s appearance in Japanese literature. “Koshijishiryaku” is a book from the early Meiji period.
This is the “Dainippon Koshichi Handbook” published in 1834, the 5th year of Tenpo. In Japan in the 19th century, Greenland seemed to be recognized as a land adjacent to Canada.
A painting with a composition that was said to have been favored by a painter living in Greenland in the early 20th century. The rugged mountains in the back of the screen represent the landscape around Mount Selmiciak near Nuuk, and the icebergs floating in the sea areIlulissat IcefjordThis is a typical motif that brings to mind.
The carved wooden masks lined up inside the museum were once used in Inuit rituals and stories. The exaggerated facial expressions can be either frightening or comical, symbolizing communication with spirits and the otherworld. Here, the “face of faith” is on display, rather than decoration.
♦The only record store in Greenland run by a bandman who has experience performing in Japan.
After parting ways with Aron, the taxi driver, we continued our walk. Next to Nook Center is “Atlantic Music ApSI discovered a small family-run record store called “. The owner is the son of the founder, and it is the only record store in Greenland.
When we talked, we learned that the owner was a member of a popular local band.NanookHe was a member of “. Nanook is widely known as one of the few artists who sings in Greenlandic, and has even performed live in Japan. He told me that his next concert is scheduled to be held in Tokyo in February 2026.
The store is filled with musical instruments and music-related equipment.
We also have a wide selection of effectors.
For dinner, we went to Bubble tea house, an Asian restaurant run by a Filipino behind Atlantic Music ApS. The flowers that looked like cherry blossoms in front of the store were, as expected, fake flowers.
The menu is diverse, including sweet and sour pork, sushi, and shrimp tempura.
This time I ordered the “Japanese Super Family Box” (399 kr: approximately 8,380 yen). All of the sushi you eat in the heated restaurant is topped with mayonnaise. The store staff, who came to the northern land from the warm Philippines, were very friendly.
♦Ilulissat is a city where spectacular views of icebergs are a daily occurrence
From the capital Nuuk, move on to your next destination, Ilulissat. Ilulissat is a town of about 4,500 people on the west coast of Greenland, facing Disko Bay. For residents, “viewing icebergs” is a daily sight.
The means of transportation is a small plane with a propeller that seats 27 people.
The cockpit is fully visible from inside the aircraft, with the only partition being a curtain.
After about an hour and a half, we arrived at Ilulissat Airport, which is decorated with cute pink letters.
From the airport, take a free minibus to the hotel. The first place I stayed wasHOTEL SØMA Ilulissat” was a spacious and comfortable hotel.
Outside the window, you can see snow sled dogs chained together. In order for the animals to eat a lot and build muscle during the winter working season, they purposely reduce the amount of food they eat in the summer and keep them from gaining body fat. However, seeing him chained up for so long made me feel sad.
Also, local dogs are treated like pets and should not be touched. Rather than having a friendly personality, they are raised strictly as work partners, and are a minority of Japanese “indoor dogs” and “family pets.”
Located about 5 minutes from HOTEL SØMA Ilulissath.Hotel Arctic”, some rooms overlook the city of Ilulissat.
You can also enjoy the view of the glacier and buildings spreading out to the sea as one landscape. There are few places in the world where you can see nature and people’s lives so close together.
♦Okatost is a village of 40 people who come to draw water from the only faucet on the island.
Next destination is Oqaatsut. It is a small village with a population of about 40 people located about 15 km north of Ilulissat.
We will go by small boat.
Once you leave the port, you will be greeted with a sight that can be described as “moving ice sculptures” on the sea.
All the ice on the sea seen from the ship from Ilulissat port is “iceberg” born from glaciers. There are various sizes mixed together, from giant ice cubes to tiny pieces of ice.
After 30 minutes of passing many spectacular icebergs, we finally arrived at Okatost. The first place we headed to was the local restaurant “H8”. The store’s name comes from the code the U.S. military attached to buildings during World War II, when they used helicopters to drop off food and supplies.
When you step inside, you will be surprised by the sophisticated space. In contrast to the quietness outside, the atmosphere is stylish and warm.
There is only one lunch menu, and the price seems to change depending on the season, but when I visited, it was 695kr (about 14,600 yen). Assortment of two types of cold-smoked fish and two types of meat. On the top left of the plate is sika deer, on the top right is lamb, on the bottom left is halibut, on the bottom right is cod, and in the center are shrimp caught from Disco Bay.
All of them had the flavor of the ingredients and were delicious together with the bread and herbal tea. The store clerk’s older sister said that she is only at Okatost for four months of the year, during the summer.
After dinner, take a walk around the village. There are two restaurants in the village, one of which also has a hotel. Although tourists come and go every day, it is very quiet and peaceful.
There were also dogs pulling mushers here. In winter, dog sleds are still an important means of transportation.
The only source of water in Okatost. There is no running water in the village, which is supplied by desalinated seawater. A harsh and simple lifestyle where everyone comes to get water from the only faucet in Okatosto. The restaurant’s toilets were also unique: they were portable toilets that didn’t use water.
The remains of an abandoned musk ox head.
The red triangles you see at the port are daymarks for ships. It visually indicates that “this is the landmark for the shipping route,” “this is close to the reef,” and “this is the entrance to the port.” This is a very important safety feature in Greenland, where there is a lot of ice and rock.
I visited Pilersuisoq, the only supermarket in Okatost. This is the only place to get food and daily necessities. The company is open five and a half days a week, and the average daily business hours are about eight hours.
There was Nissin Cup Noodles. There was also soba from the Cup Noodle series, which you don’t see in Japan. The price is 22.95kr (about 532 yen).
The only post office in Okatost is attached to a supermarket. I took the opportunity to write a postcard and send it as a souvenir, but she refused, saying, “It’s going to take a while to arrive,” which was not clear, so I gave up because I felt sorry for persistent requests.
Okatost also has a small concert space, and music festivals are held here about three times a year. Will artists from all over the world, fascinated by the magnificent glaciers, gather here? The band “Nanook”, which I met at a record store in Nook, may have also performed on this stage.
The main industry of Okatost is fishing. There used to be a fish processing factory in this village, but it was later moved to Ilulissat. Despite this, the villagers have started new companies and continue processing in order to protect their local livelihoods. A device used to bring captured whales to land, which has been in use since the 17th century, still stands quietly as a reminder of the area’s once important location for whale hunting.
On our way back by sea from Okatost, we encountered a family of humpback whales. The sight of them swimming close together was so majestic that it took my breath away.
♦“Inuit Cafe” where you can enjoy musk deer steak
Returning to Ilulissat, we went to the aptly named “Inuit Café.”
What was on the menu was the rare musk deer steak, priced at 285kr (about 6,605 yen). The gonads of male musk deer produce musk, which is known to be used in perfumes. When I took a bite, expecting to smell the aroma, I was struck by how it had a wild taste, but was soft, and had a soft aftertaste.
This is a whale steak, 285 kr (about 6,605 yen). The flavor of the ingredients comes to the fore, and the seasoning is very simple. It has a bit of a smell, so your tastes may differ.
President Trump has said, “Greenland has great potential, and the Danish government is not taking full advantage of it.” When I visited the site, I was able to understand the background behind such a view in terms of resources, geographic conditions, and social structure. Greenland has many aspects and characteristics that are not fully recognized internationally.
♦.gl domain seen on the street
Greenland’s “.gl” domain is famous for being used by Google’s shortened URL service “goo.gl” since 2010. The service that converts long URLs into compact ones was convenient, butService ends in 2019I’m doing it.
However, Greenland continues to use .gl domains. This is AK Byggeteknik ApS, a construction and engineering company based in Nuuk. “ApS” (Anpartsselskab) is a limited liability company, which in Japan is closer to a “Limited Liability Company (LLC)” than a “corporation”.
Nuuk Taxi A/S (363636) is a taxi company in Nuuk. “363636” in the company name is also used as the phone number.
“Atlantic Music ApS” is the only record store in Greenland that was visited by the Domain Explorers.
KJ Greenland A/S is a company that provides comprehensive services related to construction and civil engineering. “A/S” refers to the corporate form of a joint stock company in Denmark and Greenland.
♦Local SIM speed survey
An eSIM that can be used in Greenland must be purchased separately from one for Europe. The Domain Explorers had prepared three types of SIMs in advance: Airalo, TMI, and Saily, but when they arrived at the site, TMI and Saily could not be connected, and only Airalo could be used. Speed was 110Mbps.
If you are planning to go abroad, please refer to the note article below.
[Updated from time to time]This is the strongest eSIM for overseas use! All the reasons why you should stop using overseas Wi-Fi | Interlink Co., Ltd.
https://note.interlink.blog/n/nbc08ddc8169e?gs=95655e6318d0
You can check the locations we visited this time on the map below.
Details and application for the “.gl” domain used in Greenland can be found at the link below.
gl domain registration (Greenland) | Gonbei Domain for domain acquisition and consulting around the world
https://www.gonbei.jp/reg/domain_detail.cgi?p1=gl
(Text/Photos: Interlink https://www.interlink.or.jp/
Domain island tour https://islanddomains.earth/)
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