Canada Day in Sapporo ２!

by Kazu

Counselor of Embassy of Canada in Tokyo, Ms. Julie Poirier visited Sapporo and attended the party to celebrate Canada Day before she leave Japan for Canada after completing he mandate in Japan for four years.

It's a pity that she has to leave Japan just after our encounter but it might be lucky for us to see her during her mandate in Japan.

We took memorial photos with the board member of Hokkaido Canada Society. The senior board members were so happy to see her and enjoyed so much, they said.

Canada Day in Sapporo ３!

by Kazu

It has been many years since I left Ottawa, Ontario,Canada after taking care of thgistic arrangement for the Japanese delegation when the G8 Summit was arranged in Kananaskis, Alberta that had
established a sister-state relationship with Hokkaido in 1980.

Based on our fabulous relationship between Hokkaido and Alberta and the special relationship with Canada, Canada and Canada, Ms. Poilier kindly visited Hokkaido and took part in the party to celebrate the Canadian National Day called Canada Day.

Canada Day in Sapporo!

by Kazu

Canada Day Party was thrown in Sapporo View Hotel on July 20(Sat.). The Chair of Hokkaido Canada Association Mr. Yoshihiro Sekihachi could not attend the party, so Vice Chair Mr. Takeyama delivered the opening speech to appreciate the participation of the members of the association and the guests.

The biggest draw of the party was the music performance by a diva Rihwa who is also the personality of a radio program "Hidey Ho" of Northwave. She has an experience to visit and stay in Canada as an international student. During her stay in Canada, she found her talent and a way to live as a singer.

Mr. Mark Hamilton is the eternal member of Hokkaido Canada Society. He also delivered a speech to explain about the national day of Canada. Basically, Canada Day is July 1 every year but this party in Hokkaido is held on the most convenient day for all the members.

Principal Consul of the USA has left Sapporo!

by Kazu

It's a pity that our friend Ms. Rachel Brunette=Chen, the Principal Consul in the Consulate General of the United States of America, left Sapporo for Washington. D.C..

She is a so nice lady and has done a lot for the better relationship between the United States and Hokkaido as well as the northern regions of the main island of Japan, such as Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi and Akita. We really appreciate her god command of Japanese, contribution and efforts for the future of the USA and Japan. Thank you so much, Rachel and see you again !

Love Country Station !

by Kazu

After savoring enough the buckwheat noodle soup, we dropped by the former railway station named "Aikoku" which means "the country of love" in Japanese.

It had been a boom to buy the railway ticket from the station "Aikoku" to "Koufuku" which means "Happiness" in Japanese.

The locomotive that had been in use until years ago was displayed at the station. Railway manias love to watch and touch around the powerful machine. The mechanism seemed to be so attractive even for the normal tourists.

Buckwheat noodle soup restaurant "Mebunryo" again !

by Kazu

It is a pity that the master of our favorite buckwheat noodle soup restaurant "Mebunryo" in Shimizu Town is not so good physical condition recently and it may be tough for him to provide 

quality buckwheat noodle soup as he has done before. We have to check the web site of the restaurant to check up its availability of the restaurant everyday.

The total amount of the dishes the master can provide is limited every day. The restaurant opens at eleven o'clock every morning. So I waited fro 10:30 in the morning on that day. Of course, I was the first person of the line.

Railway Station to Station ２!

by Kazu

The advertisement poster for the movie film "Poppo-ya" was put on the wall of the railway station. The actor Mr. Ken Takakura played as a railway station master in the story.

The half of the station building was used as the museum of the movie film. It seemed that many tourists had dropped by.

After watching around the location set of the movie film, my wife and I left there and headed to next station of Takikawa-Nemuro railway line.

The Movie Film "Railway Station Master" !

by Kazu

Have you ever heard about the movie film "Poppo-ya"
which means "Railway Station "Master" in Japanese slung. Filming was conducted in Ikutora Area of Minami Furano Town.　

These small buildings were made up just for the filming. They were not used for the real lives of the citizens of the town.

In the movie film, the station was called "Horomai Station". The protagonist of the movie film was Mr. Ken Takakura, the man of men in Japanese movie scene. The station building had been used for the real lives of the citizens.

Ice Hockey Goalie !

by Kazu

Next virtual winter sport game was ice hokey. The participants should play the role as the goalie of the team. The black sensor on their backside recognize if the player block the pack in the right direction or not.

The attacker on the screen shot the pack to the right and left, up and down. Watching the attackers motion, the player block the shot as a goalie.

The youths showed their good response to block the shot. The white board near the goal was not slippery and not dangerous. Please try the virtual games in the museum.

Games in Sapporo Winter Olympic Museum 2 !

by Kazu

Next game was speed skating. After putting on the slippery shoes, the leader of the delegation slide from right to left and return.

It seemed so hard to keep on sliding on the white board even for the youth that he started gasping in the real world.

The females tried a trick to earn more numbers of their slide than the real. Two female students kicked the sensor at the each end of the whiteboard. For the first time, I saw the minus score. The sensor recognize the cheating.