Benizakura Park in Sapporo 2 !

by Kazu

This is the inside of the Genghis Khan BBQ restaurant in Benizakura Park. It can accommodate about one hundred guests normally but after the pandemic of covid-19 all over the world, the owner of the restaurant ruduce the number of the seats to keep the social distance to avoid infection.

Besides, the families of my wife and myself exchange the betrothal gifts before our marriage in this Japanese traditional tea ceremony room of Benizakura Park. It was 28years ago. This tea ceremony room is so comfortable and has good atmosphere.

Mia Angela Pizza and Pasta !

by Kazu

I had avoided to eat out to fend off the infection of covid-19 CCP virus from Wuhan, China. After the state of emergency was wrapped up, my wife and I ate out to savor the taste of the season. The cold pasta topped with fresh and delicious sea urchin was the target of the day.

We duplicated the amount of the sea urchin topping. Once or twice a year, we make a point bof savoring this fabulous pasta in a year. It can be savored in June. Other than that, quatro fromage pizza we had as usual. Have you tried before ?

Minister left Upopoi !

by Kazu

During the Minister's visit to "Upopoi", the Space for Ethnic Harmonization including the Ainu National Museum, I wore the mask with an Ainu crest that one of Ainu craftman made. Since the Cabinet Secretary of Japan Mr. Yoshihide SUGA had worn the same kind of mask in daily press scrum, the ones grew in popularity.  

It may be so tough to buy this kind of Ainu-designed mask nowadays. It is very comfortable to wear even in summer but as it was so muggy in the area on that day, the mask got wet with my sweat.

Press Scrum in Upopoi !

by Kazu

I am not sure if the indigenous people of Hokkaido had high degrees of skills to control their ships and go around on the ocean or not. They have therir own traditional canoe and used them on the pure water. 

The Aleutian people living on Aleutian Islands used sea kayak that carried people and items fastest of all the ship on the ocean. They are the people of the sea. I ma not sure if Ainu people and the Aleutian people have any biological relationship or not but their culture have kind of similarity, I think. 

Minister AKABA held a press scrum and expressed his hope so many people would visit this facility and the information of Ainu people would be communicated to all over the world.

Craftmanship of Ainu !

by Kazu

Minister for Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism Mr. Kazuyoshi AKABA was gazing at the crafts of Ainu such as sword, sticks, necklace and bracelet. The design of the crafts might as well take in the modern twist and adjustment. 

In case of the crafts made by the Native Americans, bow and arrows, hatchets, hair accessories, clabs, decorated spears for rituals and smoking pipes are popular as souvenirs. Actually I bought some of them in New Mexico, the USA.

When I wore some of them, I felt some difficulty to control myself. I shpould be careful when I wear the crafts made by the Native Americans, I think. I never wear them in the party.

The premises of Upopoi !

by Kazu

The Ainu National Museum was built beside Lake Poroto. The atmosphere on the premises of "Upopoi" looked so nice with kind of solemn impression. It should be played up as the sacred area of the indigenous people of Hokkaido Ainu.

SPs were stood on the route for the Minister AKABA and checked up the safety of all things. I had to run from the musium to the workshop before the arrival of the minister. It was so humid, muggy on that day.

Minister AKABA and Governor SUZUKI entered the workshop that showed the craftmanship of Ainu people. Press scrum would be held inside the building after watching around the display.

To the Next !

by Kazu

Minister for Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism of Japan Mr. Kazuyoshi AKABA had got to leave the facility earlier than the previous schedule, so he walked through the last part of the Ainu National Museum faster than before.

He hoped so many people would visit the museum and learn the history of Ainu people. Approximately 55,000 visitors were expected to visit there from grade schools, jnior and senior high schools all over Japan.

I was so interested in what kind of history would be explained in this facility. I hope the explanation would not be affected by certain political entities and states that spoils Japan itself.

Benizakura Park in Sapporo !

by Kazu

There is a nice park in the southern part of Sapporo City. The name of the park is "Benizakura Koen". Benizakura means "red cherry" in Japanese. There is a camping site with a pond for fisfhing in its park.
There is also a nice Genghis Khan BBQ restaurant in the park.

There had been a beer garden in the park before but it was closed and this restaurant is the only place to have Genghis Khan BBQ there. The meat of lamb is not soaked in the special sauce before grilling. It's a beer-garden style.

The restaurant has ist own breweryto make Japanese spirits, whisky and wine. A variety of alcohol were displayed on the counter table of the restaurant. I've not tried the drink before because we use the restaurant in daytime but I will try them in the not-so-distant future, I think.

Ainu attires and tools !

by Kazu

When the Minister of for Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Mr. Kazuyoshi Akaba visited the Ainu National Museum in Shiraoi Town, it had not  officially been opened.

Some people criticized the quality of the items displayed in the museum because some fake culture of Ainu were in the showcase.  

I was not sure which items were not bona fide in the museum but I hope that the reason why the museum was built and why the New Ainu Act were enacted was not affected by the evils  near Japan on this globe.

Upopoi opened on July 12（Sun.）!

by Kazu

Minister for Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism of Japan Mr. Kazuyoshi AKABA has very charming voice as a male, I thought. When he was watching the display of the traditional textiles of Ainu people, he gave some positive comments on them.

Some crafts might have grabbed his mind and he read the description on them. He is in charge of "Go to travel " campaign in Japan that was a scheme to save the tourism industry. It started on July 22(Wed.).

It is very tough to strike a balaance between keeping the economic activities and preventing covid-19 from prevailing in Japan. But we have to manage to do that to save the lives of the people. Economic downturn also kills the people.

How many people would Upopoi will be able to allure ?

by Kazu

Affected by the pandemic of covid-19 CCP virus, Minister AKABA had to wrap up his visit to the Ainu National Museum earlier than schedule before. He cancelled his visit to "Chise" the traditional Ainu house built on the premises of the facility.

I am not sure if the Minister and his delegation had enough time to watch around the display in the museum or not but they went through the Ainu National Museum thinking something different.

Time keepers must have been there and controled all the move of the Minister. Security Police stafferes had to control the time schedule but striking the balance between keeping the schedul and making the best effects of the Minister's visit required a certain degrees of skill of logistic arrangement.