Escon Field Shrine 2026 !

by Kazu

At the beginning of 2026, a small Japanese shrine was set on the baseball ground in the Ball Park of Kita Hiroshima City as it had been in 2025. The guests could walk on the ground the baseball players showed their best performance in the season. 

As the lawn on the ground is natural one, they should be trimmed and lit with the artificial sun light. No baseball game was held on that day but many people visited there and savor the cuisine in the restaurant and food court.

I think it took 1,500 Japanese Yen to enter the ground and worship in front of the pop-up shrine. The guests were given a token to worship. It was very interesting arrangement and popular in Kita Hiroshima, Sapporo and other adjacent cities and towns.

 

The First Japan Traditional Tea Ceremony in 2026 !

by Kazu

In the morning of January 1, 2026, my wife hosted a Japanese traditional tea ceremony in my condo. Some Japanese traditional sweets made of sugar, sweetened root of burdock were served on tatami floor. The rituals had been established many years ago.  

We had to abide by the manner established in ancient era but a variety of schools developed their own ways and manners to enjoy Japanese green tea and light meals with sweets.  

These are the tools to have the ceremony in my condo.. We hosted so many international guests from overseas so far. I hope they really enjoyed the Japanese traditional ceremony .

 

Scallop Cuisine !

by Kazu

Almost the end of our working day in 2025, Hamatonbetsu Town located in the northern part of Hokkaido Island set a pop-up shop in Hotel Polestar Sapporo near my office and I bought a chunk of scallops for year end holidays.  

Fresh sushi-grade large scallops were served with seaweed called Wakame, sauteed with sliced Japanese taro and butter.  My sister-in-law kindly boiled bracken root and bamboo shoot to be accompanied by pints of beer. Sweet grilled egg was from the famous former Central Market of Japan Tsukiji.  　

 

December 31, 2025 !

by Kazu

It depends on the custom of each household whether the Japanese traditional and typical year-end/beginning meal package stuffed in Japanese lacquered meal boxes accumulated on the table, shuld be served at the end of year or the beginning.  

I think these are the typical contents of the meal package of the year end/ beginning. Herring roe with chopped sea kelp and squid flavored with soy sauce and fish broth, boiled salmon or herring rolled with sea kelp, chopped and pickled radish and carrot are my favorite.     

Mushed chest nuts, boiled black beans,　　sliced fishcake called "Kamaboko" and grilled egg&fish roll are not so smashing but the must-to-have in the meal package. We started to savor the meal in the boxes at the end of 2025.
 

Red Eagles Won the Game !

by Kazu

The result of the ice hockey game was Hokkaido Red Eagles' win. The local ice hockey team was sponsored by the paper manufacturing company "Oji Seishi" that rule the City of Tomakomai.

The move of hockey pack was so swift that it was a little bit tough for old foggy to catch up with the fast-moving pack hit with the sticks swung by the players. 

The city can accommodate  many tourists brought by cruise ships and tankers as well as ice hockey players. I think a little bit twists and optional tours should be arranged for the globe-trotters who drop by with cruise ship.

 

Itanki Beach in Muroran City !

by Kazu

It was cloudy and not so fine in Muroran Itanki beach on that day. It seemed that it was snowing on the western part of the Iron City Muroran. Nobody was working on the beach other than myself. 

The rising sun was hidden by the gray cloud unfortunately. The city started to breathe and wake up with the chilly breeze from the ocean though the factory near the beach seemed to have been working all night long without rest. 

We took train and moved to Tomakomai City to have lunch and watch the ice hockey game of Hokkaido Red Eagles. The ice arena built by the paper manufacturing company "Oji Seishi" again. The seat-heater was so comfortable and helpful for us.

 

Ippei in Muroran City !

by Kazu

On the next day of the last working day in 2025, we visited the City of Iron manufacturing Muroran Cuty and had the famous grilled skewered pork and chicken. In spite of the order of our request, the Japanese chicken rissot came first. Usually, we wrap up our dinner with this tasteful soup rice. 

Basically, the grilled skewered chicken and pork in Muroran are served with tasteful delicious sauce developed in each restaurant. We had these dishes in famous "Ippei" near the hotel we stayed Dorny Inn Higashi Muroran on that day.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Every time we visit the City of Iron Manufacturing, we savor the cuisine so much and enjoy the collaboration of the landscape and the artificial construction such as the iron manufacturing factory and cafe with curious atmosphere.