Massive Brown Bears are living there !

by Kazu

The snowcat in the depth of the forest of Utanoboru, Kitami Esashi reached the wastewater sampling point on our way to the base camp cottage at the foot of the mountain.  

We found a marking on the trunk of spruce made by a huge brown bear. Considering the height and the time the marking was made, the size of the brown bear must be huge because it was made before the snowfall and the depth of the snow around the tree was about two meters.  

The length of the claws of the brown bear must be longer than my fingers. The depth of the marking on the trunk was one or two centimeters. The claws were sharper than the edge of the driver, I thought. 

 

Snowcat moving on !

by Kazu

Have you ever heard of "Passive Treatment " of the wastewater from the abolished mine of gold, silver and copper? Without expensive treatment facilities like a factory, some artificial marsh that contains slaked limestone can neutralize and clean up the acid wastewater from the abolished mine. 

The cost to run the factory to treat the acidic wastewater is so expensive with the manning, chemical, sampling and checking operation that only conglomerate companies can continue to run the system. 

In order to build and set the artificial marsh to treat the wastewater from the abolished mines, extensive fields are necessary to reduce the acidic level of the water and neutralize. Normally, the mines developed decades ago tend to be found in the depth of the valleys and mountains. It may be tough to find the flat field for the artificial marsh to treat the wastewater in the mountains.

 

Carbonated Sodium Bicarbonate Spring in Utanobori !

by Kazu

I visited Utanobori Green Park in Kitami Esashi Town for the second time of my business jaunt. The design of the foyer seemed to be similar to that of Horohsin Hot Spring Spa in Numata Town. 

The sheet glasses facing the woods was so huge to make the most of the natural scenery. Different from my business jaunt to the same abolished mine in Utanobori, we had to take a snowcat with caterpillars to reach the sampling point of the wastewater.    

In total, eight persons can take the machine but the room in the snowcat was comparatively narrow and being shaken in the automobile may be tough for delicate figures.

 

Utanobori Green Park in Kitami Esashi !

by Kazu

On our way to Utanobori in Kitami Esashi, we dropped by Nayoro City to have lunch in the buckwheat noodle restaurant "Benihana" which meant "Scarlet Flower" in Japanese. We had to purchase some food for supper in the isolated hot spring spa and hotel "Green Park Utanobori".

It was my second business jaunt to the place in order to check up the waste water from the abolished mine. Once a mine was developed, even after the mine ran out of the copper, silver and gold, the waste water continues to flow out of the mine forever.

Most of the waste water tend to be acidic, so that should be neutralized with slaked lime continuously. Early in the morning, I was searching for an appropriate route for jogging. The trail to the upper side of the mountain was closed with heavy snow. I had to jog around the parking lot of the hotel to avoid brown bear attack. 

 

The Riceball Cafe in Sapporo !

by Kazu

The rice ball cafe? is near my condo. as if it is hiding behind the residence.The location of the cafe is making it difficult to find the small but cozy place filled up with green. We stepped down to the basement floor from the backside of an apartment.

The lunch plate was filled up with a variety of culinary delights, soup and a rice ball. The name of the cafe is "Onigiri Style Kai". Most of the users seemed to be females.   

The soup can be chosen from a few kinds.The amount of the foods on the plate may be appropriate for females but a few males were having lunch in the cafe on that day.

 

Aux Bacchancles in Akarenga Terrace !

by Kazu

The former prefectural government office of Hokkaido was refurbished and renewal opened last year. Some local sweet shops, food stands and souvenir shops were newly opened in the seasoned building. Many tourists visits the historical building to take memorial photos in front of it. 

We had a light dinner in the French restaurant Aux Bacchancles in Akarenga Terrace on the eastern side of "Red Bricks", the former prefectural government building.  You can see the old building lit with blue light from the window side of the restaurant.

 

The Natural Lawn should be raised even in win !

by Kazu

These are the artificial mobile sunlight stands set on the baseball ground. It must cost so much electric power and money but the natural lawn is much better than the artificial lawn on the concrete floor.

In the baseball games amid in the season, the stadium are filled up with the supporters of both baseball teams and users of the eateries such as the special hot dog restaurant run by the owner of Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and food court.