Smith!

by Kazu

The wheels of the horse carriage were made of hard wood in such way. A blacksmith was also necessary in each city and town. It seemed that each blacksmith had kind of apprenticeship but the exam to be independent must have been tough for apprentices.　

This household of blacksmith seemed to be affluent and the size of the house and workshop had ample space to live and work. A bunch of apprentices might have been living there.

It must have been an iron manufacturer in the town of pioneers.The design and the way of construction seemed to be similar to that in Niigata and Fukui Prefecture but I think much more heat insulating material was necessary in Hokkaido.   

 

The Skid Manufacturer for the Pioneers !

by Kazu

The original building of the old grocery store built and used in Meiji Era was dissolved and each part of the building was numbered and carried to this Hokkaido Historical Park to rebuild. It was when Japanese economy was enjoying its high speed development and growth.

A variety of goods necessary for the lives in cold Hokkaido and souvenirs seemed to be sold in the store. Visiting such grocery store might be kind of  for stress relief end enjoyable event for families but not so much as nowadays.   

Sleigh and carriage maker was also brought back into existence again in the historical park. I am not sure how many sleigh and horse carriage makers were in Sapporo but its function was absolutely in each city and town.

 

The Horse Shoe Shop for the Pioneers !

by Kazu

The well-established confectionery had its living space with coal stove as if somebody was still living and making benefits to make ends meet.   

Next house was horse shoe maker. A figures of a horse and a shoe maker  were put at the corner of the shop. I think the figures were so expensive. 

These are the figures displayed in the shop. The original tools used to make horse shoe were also displayed on the wall. The real life of the shoe makers were expressed vividly.

 

The Confectionery for the Pioneers !

by Kazu 

This old groce store seemed to be allowed to sell brandy, kerosene, soysauce made in Mogami region on the main Island of Japan exclusively.

This confectionery shop seemed to be so popular and well-established that a variety of sweets were displayed in the showcase of the shop. 

The design and the colors of the sweets seemed so yummy and sophisticated. They were mainly for riches and bereaucrats in Hokkaido.

 

The Town Clinic and Grocery !

by Kazu

This is the room of the general practitioner. The physician must have been the center of the town to respond to the emergency. The pharmaceutical laboratory was beside the medical checkup room.

The patients were brought to the clinic with the sleighs drawn by horses. The firefighters and paramedics in that era worked so hard and the toughness of their work should be shared with the voluntary teams of citizens. 

The grocery stores seemed to be not crowded because purchasing commodities and foods were done day by day. The cashier of the shop seemed to be so stubborn. 

 

How to make Japanese Sake !

by Kazu

The rice steaming oven was so huge in the brewery that moving the pot to steam the rice was so tough work for the brewers. The seasonal workers must have been so stoic and disciplined.  

Theold wooden house of occidental design may be the mixture of the western and eastern culture. The color paint seemed to be lost but the desigh of the building must have been so modern and popular in that era.

The old Japanese style fireplace was on the floor. The heat insulation area between Tatami floor and the fire place should be wider than this room ,I thought. Popping fire must be so dangerous for the wooden residents.  

 

Japanese Sake Brewery in Hokkaido for the Pioneers !

by Kazu

This is the inside of the old Japanese sake brewery in Hokkaido Historical Village. The recreated brewery seemed to be so comfortable to stay in summer. The place of sake brewery was filled up with the wooden buckets.

The old wooden tank reached to the ceiling. Washing up the inside was so tough for the seasonal workers in the brewery. The procedure to make Japanese sake should be conducted in autumn and winter. 

Steaming up a hectic amount of rice was also tough. In the process of making sake, females were prohibited to enter the brewing room. Fermented soybeans "Natto" made with Natto bacteria is good for our health but gives so fatal damage to the fermentation of making Japanese sake that the brewers were and are prohibited to eat Natto during the days of  sake brewing process.  

 

The Annual Events in Hokkaido Pioneers' Village Museum !

by Kazu

Some annual events were performed by the staff and volunteers in the historical village. In the Japanese sake brewery building, some people were making Japanese traditional sweet red beans soup with grilled rice cake"mochi".

The sweet soup called "Oshiruko"was compliment for the visitors. Of course, we savored the compliment hot soup in the coldness. The Japanese traditional old fireplace was not providing warmness.

This is the hot and sweet red beans soup with grilled rice cake. It worked to warm us up so comfortably.  The old living room of the brewery seemed to be well-maintained and swept. Siting back and stretching legs on the Tatami floor must be so comfortable in summer. 

 

The Newspaper Company in the twilight of Hokkaido's history!

by Kazu

Even in Hokkaido, heat insulation materials were not used in the early era of pioneering but the people in Jomon Era used peat moss and mud to protect their dwellings from the cold weather.

The modern western style building was used by a newspaper company in the Port City Otaru. The printing machines were displayed on the floor. It didn't seem to be maintained.   

The printing types that had been used actually were on the shelves near the printing machine in the room. Some journalists may feel something nostalgic with these nachine and tools.

 

Japanese Inn "Ryokan" Inn in the twilight of Hokkaido History !

 

by Kazu

The inside of the old Japanese Inn "Ryokan" was like this. The stairs were so steep that the drunken guests had to so careful to go up and down stairs. 

This is old buckwheat noodle bar with the private rooms on the second floor. When they wanted to drink alcohol, they used to use those soba bar before.

It is prohibited to go upstairs in the old Inn building to be on the safe side but the rooms on the second floor was also recreated with precise details. Th furniture of the old Inn were also brought from the original place.