I was longing to the Trip from this Station !

by Kazu

In my high school age, I was longing for the train trip from this station to go somewhere in Japan or on this globe in the evening. I wanted to take red-eye train (night train) but I found that the seat in the train was a little bit uncomfortable for me later.    

Red-eye flights are also stressful even after growing-up but the movie films in the aircraft satisfy me and ease the pain with some alcohol. Night train was my dream at that time.  

We took the Limited Express Train Ozora to go back to Sapporo on that day. The locomotive had the emblem motifed the flowers of Ozora Town, pink and white mossphlox near the cockpit. It was much more comfortable than I expected. 

 

Kansai Flavored Udon Noodle Soup in my Hometown Kitami !

by Kazu

My aunt found a cozy Japanese Udon noodle soup Bar near my house in my hometown. The soup and flavoring were that of western part of Japan such as Kyoto and Osaka. The soup was transparent, not of dark color like in Tokyo Area. 

The noodle itself had so nice and appropriately chewy texture. I was so impressed by the quality because I had not expected such high quality in my hometown. Anyway, we got other choice for eating out.

The train station of Kitami City has not been changed so much and still simple and cozy without too many souvenir shops inside. The souvenirs were sold in the convenience shop in the building.

 

For the people who died in the War !

by Kazu

This is the new monument for the deceased in the World War Ⅱ built by the committee headed by Mr. Keijiro Takino who called the shot in the city at that era. Praying for the souls of the deceased and the eternal peace of the world, it was built. 

It described that over eight hundred citizens were trained and sent to China, Russia, southern islands and passed away in the war. The brave hearts to protect their nation including their families should be appreciated by the descendants of them and the current nation. 

The overview of the city in the hollow can be gained from the place of the monument and the souls of the deceased must be looking at the current lives of the citizens in peace. May the force of the brave soldiers be with the city.

 

The Approach to the Monument was Closed !

by Kazu

I think I had seen and visited the monument built for the deceased in the Japan-China War, Japan-Russia War and World War Ⅱ in my adolescence. But the approach stairs to the monument was closed. 

The maintenance of the approach and the monument must be tough for the municipality. The Midorigaoka Graveyard on the hillside of the mountain at the northern end of the hollow had been the playground for the kids until decades ago.

The autumnal foliage was not shining with the sunlight but the color of the leaves entertained me enough early in the morning. I had run around this mountains and the creek at the foot of the mountain. I love the aroma of the spruce trees in this area.

 

Green Forest Center to be closed ?

by Kazu

Above is the greenhouse built on the premises where the sanatorium for the patients of tuberculosis was providing the place for cure and recovering. Maintaining this facility and place must be tough for the poor municipality in particular, keeping the staff must be difficult.   

Furthermore, the Stone Garden adjacent to the Green Center must be more difficult to build the consensus to keep clean and available for the citizens.

The facilities run by the municipality would raise the fees to use because the financial situation including the debt of the city had been and is terribly in red. Voluntarism must be organized for the future of the city but before that, the municipality must review the organization itself and the system to hire the clerks.

 

The Forest Museum in Autumn, 2025 !

by Kazu

That was my last visit to "the Green Center" in Kitami City that would be closed because the municipality should avoid going bankrupt. Its financial situation including its debt seemed to be terrible and dangerous for the citizens. 

The Greenhouse for the plants brought from the southern regions on this globe might be closed too because of the cost to warm up the inside. The trail in the plants museum might be abolished.

Sweeping the trail and collecting the leaves at the end of every autumn must be tough and expensive for the poor municipality, unfortunately. I can not figure out the way to contribute to the municipality so far.

 

Train Trip under the Cloudy Sky !

by Kazu

It was a pity that the gray clouds covering the sky prevented the fertile ground from shining with the sunlight but I was convinced that my choice to take train to visit my hometown Kitami City was correct to avoid driving in unforeseeable snowfall in October. 

The golden yellow rice crops were not shining but it seemed that ample delicious rice would be harvested soon. Even if "Neo-nicotinoids" were used for pesticide to fend off the insects, we love the top-quality rice raised in Hokkaido.      

It was a little bit rainy and getting colder than early in that morning. We Japanese have to polish the tombstone built for our parents, grand parents and other ancestors and pray for their peace of mind around the dates of vernal and autumnal equinox day.