At the end of autumn 2025!

by Kazu

The temperature was getting lower day by day and soon the cold white season would conquer the Island Hokkaido. After my business jaunt to Tokyo, every creature seemed to be preparing for the monochrome season winter.

A herd of sheep were eating grass even in the cold wind at the end of autumn. Different from the weather in Tokyo, we sometimes had heavy snowfall even in November.

Before winter, we can savor amply the gift from the ground and ocean that energize, empower and inspire us. We tend to eat much more than other season. Please stay fit and sound in this cold winter. 

 

After Lobbying to the Central Government !

by Kazu

After completing our mission in Tokyo, we headed to Haneda International Airport and had dinner in the restaurant Azumino in the airport building. Azumino is originally the name of the place in Nagano Prefecture where my Gran Ma's hometown Komagane City is located.. 

With pints of beer, I had a dish of pickled aubergine and pork cutlet rice bowl with buckwheat noodle sourced in Nagano prefecture that had been called "Shinshu" until Edo Era.

Everything went well in Tokyo and we were so satisfied with the response of the parliamentarians and the pertinent government officers.  A herd of sheep were eating grass on the premises of Hokkaido University the next day.  

 

The Pilgrimage for the Coal Area in Hokkaido !

by Kazu 

The Coalmine Revitalizing Committee composed of  Hokkaido Prefectural Government, Members of the Hokkaido Legislative Assembly, the municipalities that have coalmine  in their area such as Kushiro City, Mikasa City, coalmine companies also visited the Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Economy, Trade and Investment and handed their requests to him.

It seemed that he understood the necessity to support the coalmine area and the industry even though the administration of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan had committed to the Net Zero Emission of carbon dioxide internationally.

The committee members also visited the members of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors whose riding were the coalmine area in Hokkaido. Every parliamentarian from Hokkaido committed to support to get the budget for the subsidies.   

 

For the Coalmine Area in Hokkaido !

by Kazu 

by Kazu

The Coalmine Area Revitalizing Committee that consists of Hokkaido Prefectural Government, Members of the Hokkaido Legislative Assembly, the municipalities that have coalmine  in their area such as Kushiro City, Mikasa City, coalmine companies handed their requests to the governing party of Japan, the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

The Committee visited the headquarters of the political party in Tokyo and handed their requests to the Acting Secretary-General of the Party Mr. Koichi Hagiuda whose riding was Hachiouji City of Tokyo. He kindly understood the necessity to support the coalmine area and the industry. 

On top of that, for the sustainable development of Japanese economy, coal was still important even though most of them were imported from overseas such as Australia, Indonesia and Vietnam, he said. Particularly, as international cooperation, the projects to be supported by the subsidies from the central government of Japan could also contributed to the development of the countries, he agreed. 

 

Yachigashira Tram Station !

by Kazu

Refreshing in the hot spring spa in the residential area of Yachigashira after long jogging in the woods on the hillside of Mt. Hakodate-yama, I took the city tram to go back to the hotel near the train station. 

After getting off the tram near the train station, I found I lost my mobile phone after buying some drink in the convenience store "Family Mart". I thought I dropped my mobile in the tram and took a taxi to catch up the tram I had taken.

 

Yahata Hachiman Shrine in Hakodate !

by Kazu

The gate of the Shrine Yahata Hachiman has the sign of "The Dignity of God" "Kamui" on the upper keel. We have to walk through the side, not the center of the gate because the center part of the gate is for the God.

Of course, we bow toward the sacred house before going through the gate. Basically, all the facilities of the shrine is supported by the donations of the devotees and believers.

The lanterns made of stone were also built with the donations of the citizens and the name of the donors were carved on the surface. The culture rooted in this country must be maintained by our descendants, I think.  

 

Worship early in the morning !

by Kazu

The premises of Yahata Shrine were surrounded by well-trimmed pine trees, spruce, Gingko Biloba. The contrast and balance of the colors of autumnal foliage was so comfortable and breathtaking.

The cobbled ground was also well-cleaned and wet with morning moist.The stairs made of stones led to the residential area of Yachigashira and hot spring spa where many senior citizens.

The wooden sacred house of the shrine seemed to have aged and seasoned absorbing the sadness, happiness, tragedy and various kinds of feelings of the citizens. The hand-washing area at the entrance of the premises was not decorated with flowers like other shrines in Hokkaido. 

 

Yahata Hachiman Shrine in Hakodate !

by Kazu

I went through the trail in the woods on the hillside of Mt. Hakodate-yama and reached the exit of the trail leading to the premises of Yahata Shrine in Yachigashira Area of the Port City.  

Fortunately, I had some coins to donate for the shrine and for the first time, I worshiped in front of the main sacred house of the shrine in appropriate manner of worship. Before that, I had not had wallet during my jogging to the area, I passed by the shrine after simple greeting to theGod.

I was so satisfied with my first official worship in the shrine and the landscape of the colored mountain and the shining ocean with rising sun that I lower the guard and made a mistake at the end of comfy exploration. 

 

Yachigashira District in Hakodate !

by Kazu

There is a monument named "Hekketsu-hi" which means "The Blue Blood Monument" built for the soldiers of Tokugawa Administration who died in the battle against the Imperial Army though they themselves had been the official Imperial Army before the Meiji Restoration.   

The blood of soldiers who died for their good, justice turns blue three years after their death, as I mentioned in the previous post, they said. The former official army of Tokugawa Administration could not accept the change of the political situation because they had cracked down on the movement of opening the country to the foreign countries.

They believed that opening Japan to the foreign countries and becoming the prey for the greedy tribes overseas make the Japanese people doomed and unhappy. It might be true in a sense, considering Japan was heading to the wars after the Meiji Restoration.

 

Trekking Trail in Hakodate-yama !

by Kazu

I was wondering how many people including the citizens of Hakodate City had ever walked through this comfy trail so far. The trail must have given so impressive scenery of the place and eased the pain of the trekkers' mind .

I don't think so many citizens had enjoyed strolling around this area but without consideration and cooperation of the citizens,  it must be too difficult to allocate the budget to maintain this fabulous world. 

At almost the end of the trail, there is "The Monument of Blue Blood" that was built for the soldiers who died in the battle against the army controlled by the occidental countries. They divide and rule the developing countries and exploit. The blood of soldiers who died for their good, justice turns blue three years after their death, they say.