The Second Worship in 2025 ！

by Kazu

We visited Suwa Shrine in Sapporo to ask the priest to incinerate the charms and fortune teller's book after giving a pray. Before that, we did our second worship of this year and took photos of the decoration around the hand-wash fountain near the gate.  

The hand-wash fountain was gracefully decorated with a variety of flowers and umbrellas colored with purple, green, white blue and orange. My wife loves the decoration of this shrine. 

I was wondering where the priest and his disciples purchase theses beautiful umbrellas. They were made in Japanese style. These small umbrellas might be for females. 

 

Northern Blue over Sapporo City !

by Kazu

It was a pity that this year started with bad feeling brought by foodpoisoning but I could savor the New Year Buffet in Hotel Solaria Sapporo for lunch on January 1. I completely recovered on January 2 but it was so hard for me in the evening on December 31 and in the morning on January 1. 

The blue sky and the snow field on the premises of Hokkaido University reflecting the blue color of the sky were so beautiful even in such tough condition. 

I started to hit the stride during my routine jogging and I felt my thighs got filled up with energy and power. Before visiting India, it might be a connotation to avoid foodpoisoning in India.

 

The First Japanese Traditional Tea Ceremony !

by Kazu 

Some paints of "Hattifatteneres" were inside the souvenir shop in front of the baseball stadium Escon Field" in Kita Hiroshima. Without the cooperation of the Finnish Embassy in Tokyo, it must have been tough to lay out so many board-paintings of Moomin characters.

But I am not sure if the front of Escon Field Company got the cooperation of the Embassy or Special Envoy. 

The next day, we had a Japanese traditional tea ceremony in my condo and savor enough the traditional sweets and green tea itself. 

Basically, shooting a photo from this angle is prohibited but please allow me to show these photos. We savor "Petal Rice Cake" that contained salty burdock and sweet soybean-paste. "Hanabira Mochi" is the Japanese name of the sweet. If you would like to try it, please use this name to buy.   

 

The Snow Park in Escon Field !

by Kazu

There were many small object-like figures ? made of ice and snow in the Snow Park in front of Escon Field in Kita Hiroshima City adjacent to Sapporo. The space was off-limit and nobody could touch the ice and snow sculptures. 

I thought this is the image of the Snow Park created in the collaboration with the animation Moomin from Finland. How we can enjoy the season of winter amply and get over the coldness might be a common theme in the northern regions.

I think it took a while to make this ice object that contains many ice "Hattifatteners" inside. It also have to require patience and consistence. Very few visitors took photos of this ice sculpture on that day.

 

Sunshine and Cold Sculpture !

by Kazu

In order to keep the natural lawn in the stadium sound, a plenty of sunshine can come through this big window and the roof can slide away to make the stadium open-air. Some souvenir shops, a bakery, an outdoor outfits shop, a drug store are in front of the stadium.  

On the left of the bakery, there were ice skating space and some objects that created the atmosphere of Moomin Village created by Author Tove Jassen of Finland. It was a little bit colder than in Sapporo but many kids were enjoying ice skating and going down the small slope by skid.

I found a captivating object made of ice near the ice skating space. It seemed that the object showed the "Hattifatteners" of Moomin characters.

There were many pole of ice inside the ice cage.

 

Collaboration with the animation Moomin by Tove Jansson !

by Kazu

I am not sure why the front of the company that runs the ball park Escon Field is doing the collaboration with Finland but anyway, it was curious to see the characters of Moomin were here and there in the stadium.

The company was developing "Snow Park" outside of the stadium. A skid slope and ice skating field was made around the stadium. Many kids were skating and enjoying going down with skids. 

The former team mates such as Mr. Dalvish Yu who is now in Padres, Mr. Shohei Ohtani in Dodgers were painted on the memorial wall. The former director of the team Mr. Thomas Brad Trey Hillman was also on the wall. The former and current owners of the team were at the corner.   

 

Craft Beer Special Corner in Escon Field !

by Kazu

When the baseball game of  Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters is held in the stadium, there is a special place to savor the craft beer brewed in the stadium and watch the game. "Sora to shiba" is the craft beer savoring space where people watching the baseball game alone or family and friends so comfortably.   

As you may know "sora"means "sky" and "shiba" means "lawn" in Japanese. That is the place to enjoy the scenery of sky and lawn with craft beer. I've never drunk heavy and tasteful craft beer there before because I prefer regular light beer to drink a lot.

It seemed to be so comfortable space to chat with family and friends, not caring neighbors but a pint of beer costs 800 JPY in the stadium and the craft beer requires more. I love to do chug a lug but in the stadium, I may have to sip a little bit by a little bit.