For the future of Taiwan and Hokkaido !

by Kazu

After the meeting in the Representative Office of Taipei in Sapporo City, Mr. Chen and Mr. Lee kindly threw a party for the friendship between Sorachi Sub-prefecture and Taipei.    

 Mr. Kanehira, Mr. Yamane, Mr. Nara, Mr. Lee and Mr. Yokoyama seemed to be satisfied with a certain result of our cooperation.

Mr. Chen delivered a welcome speech as a host of the party. The Mayor of Iwamizawa City Mr. Matsuno and the Mayor of Bibai City sat beside Mr. Chen.  

 He expected to see the active exchange of the people and products of each area and vowed to exert his best effort to enhance and upgrade the relationship between the regions.

His words of sincerity moved everybody in the room and made them convinced that a success would bring them all something best.

 Mr. Yamane responded to the the speech of heart from Mr. Chen and vowed to do his best for the win-win relationships between the regions.

The chair of Sapporo Japan- Taiwan Friendship Association that gave us good support and suggestion, Mr. Kimura explained about their long history with Taiwan and invited us to the alliance of Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association Hokkaido that would throw a party on January 21(Tue.).  

 Of course, he loves Taiwan and Taiwanese people so much. He would visit Taiwan again this year, I think.

The mayor of Bibai City Mr. Takahashi received a few Taiwanese cycling delegation last year and was successful to advertise his area to the people in Asia.  

 The mayor of Numata Town Mr. Kanehira has a various kinds of plan to sell the produces in Nomata Town to Taiwan, Honkon and San Francisco.
He is very active and able mayor.

Sapporo Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association has its office in his office. He is the C.E.O. of NIHON BOUSAI GIJUTSU CENTER co., ltd. Mr. Sashikawa who contributed so much to the friendship between Sapporo City and Taiwan.

 Mr. Nara, the Chair of Iwamizawa Tourism Association committed to accelerate deepening and widening the relationship between Hokkaido and Taiwan.

Mr. Minami,  the director-general of Sapporo Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association is literary the key person of the relationship between Taiwan and Hokkaido. He has been and is devoting himself with a hectic amount of desk work and adjustment.
Kudos to Mr. Minami !    

At the end of the party, photo occasion was held at the entrance of the venue for the dinner.
The promise should be kept in the near future. Everybody knows about it.

On our way back to each home, we contemplated on the plan to revitalize both regions in the snow.

For the future of Taiwan and Sorachi !

by Kazu

The Director-General for Sorachi Sub-prefecture, Mr. Yasunori Yamane visited The Representative office of Taiwan for Economic and Cultural Exchange in Sapporo City and paid a courtesy call to the Head of the office Mr. Chen on December 26(Thu.) 2013. The mayor of Bibai City Mr. Takahashi and the mayor of Numata Town Mr. Kanehira and Mr. Nara, the Chair of Sorachi Tourism Association accompanied with Mr. Yamane.  

 The director of the office Mr. Lee above supported the courtesy call.
Mr. Yamane reported to Mr. Chen on the establishment of Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association in a certain area to be activated soon and vowed to enhance the friendship and the exchange of people. The mayors and Mr. Nara also vowed to do exert an effort for that.

The mayor of Iwamizawa City Joined the courtesy call a little bit later than the opening. He also showed his ambitious to build up the win-win situation between Sorachi sub-prefectural area and Taiwan.  

 It is expected to see the delegation to Taiwan from Sorachi Sub-prefecture this year and Mr. Chen hopefully give them a good support for the success of the relationship.

In order to strike a balance between the continent and us islanders, it may be a good start for strategic development of both islands.
I am convinced that a small but significant start was completed and it leads to the magnificent success for both islands.

Did you enjoy Christmas last year ?

by Kazu

To be honest, Christmas Eve is the day my mother passed away four month after my birth.
It was over forty seven years ago.
Since then, I've never had a happy Christmas and Eve except for the days with my wife.
I think I forgot to post this photo on December 25(Wed.).  This is "Dohjima Roll Cake".

As it was apparent for me not to be able to share happy time with my wife on Christmas and Eve last year, we had Christmas-like dinner on December 22(Sun.). It was not so cold outside but we could feel enough the temperature of each.

The road was shining with the headlights of automobiles in the evening. Yes, it was like a flow of light as if the souls of human beings were heading to a certain direction.

Have a great weekend !

"Thai's" in PASEO Sapporo Station !

by Kazu

The Thai restaurant is on the basement floor of JR Sapporo Station. The name is "Thai's".
Spring rolls of this type made of rice paper is one of my favorite. I think the Thai restaurant is the nearest from my condo.
This spicy plum sauce is moderated for Japanese people, I think.

But this green curry is so hot that it requires two more helpings of rice to eat up. Actually I had to wipe off my sweat on my face so frequently to avoid the drops to the curry.  

I think the flavoring of this green curry is also adjusted for Japanese people but the hotness is enough even for me.  

The lunch set of "Gappao" has appropriate volume for females and the fried chicken add some twist to the dish.
"Thai's" can be checked at  http://tabelog.com/hokkaido/A0101/A010101/1040575/
Have a great weekend, friends !

Shoan in Bibai City again!

 by Kazu

Are you getting hungry ?
These are the twos top of a diner in Bibai City. I think I've introduced this diner named "Shoan 匠庵" before but I've got to know the most popular lunch set in the diner.

 Above is one of the tops, Kakiage-don, a rice bowl topped with fried veggies and seafood called Kakiage. The special sauce that contains broth strikes the balance with the flavor of fried veggies and seafood as well as the top quality rice sourced locally.

This is chicken cutlet covered with half-fried egg with broth on the rice.
Hot buckwheat noodle soup or cold noodle accompanies with those rice bowl. The reasonable price is another reason to allure the people.

 The diner is beside Route 12 but the entrance is facing west. Please do not use the entrance facing Route 12 which leads to the kitchen area of cooking school upstairs.

Chicken rice is another biggest draw in the diner but I prefer the one made in another diner Shirakaba in Bibai City, to be honest.
Address:北海道美唄市大通東1条南7丁目1-1
1-1, Minami 7-chome, Higashi 1-jo, Ohdohri, Bibai City
TEL：0126-66-6361
Open：11:00～15:00,17:00～19:00
Saturday, Sunday and holiday:11:00～19:00(通し営業)
Closed：Thursday

Goten Club in Akabira City !

by Kazu

This wooden house was built by the coalmine Tycoon Mr. Yamada in the era when the coalmine industry was in full flourish.
The high-quality cedars were carried from Akita prefectural area and used to build this house of luxury.

Now the house is used as a buckwheat noodle soup restaurant named "Goten Club" which means mansion club in Japanese. The original house was called "Yamada Goten".

 

The details of the construction and the exteriors are filled with the sign of wealth.
This is the border of the guestroom and the kitchen.
The round decorated window is as it was many years ago.

The table on the window side may be too cold for the tourists from the mainland of Japan but the scenery is so nice in summer and autumn.

As the inside is like somebody's  house, we can sit back and relax enough to savor the quality noodle enough.

 The capacity of the restaurant is not so huge, so the bulk tour can not use this restaurant, I think.

My wife loves this type of round window and wood deck.

 Only the spruce peculiar to Hokkaido can be seen from the window in winter. Everything is covered with white snow.

This meat is of domestic duck. I think wine or whisky fits it to a T as well as Japanese sake. It is 1,500 Japanese yen. Do you think it is reasonable ?
Please try it !