Heavy Snowfall and Lesser Snow !

by Kazu

In the midst of February, 2026, we had so heavy snowfall that many flights, trains, buses were canceled on that days. Actually, it took two hours to reach Makomanai Area from Sapporo Station because of the traffic jam and bumpy road. Nobody was on the bus other than us.    

When I went to Kushiro City by train, I was concerned about the delay or cancellation of the train due to snow fall or thick snow on the rail but only a few minutes delay occurred as a result. Many tourists from overseas were set their own camera on Nusamai Bridge  to take photos of the setting sun. 

The sky over the western horizon was covered with gray clouds that hid the setting sun but the orange color was reflected over the cloud and made the west side of the buildings around the fishermen's Wharf  pale yellow under the blue sky. The setting sun to be seen from the bridge seemed to be famous even in the Asian countries.     

 

The Local Big Eatery in Nayoro City !

by Kazu

I think the hidden hot spring spa Utanobori Green Park may be difficult to find and reach without automatic Google Map navigation system. The roadside sign shown above is the only one indication on the way from Nayoro City to Kitami Esashi Town. The carbonated sodium hot spring spa healed my knee completely. 

On our way back to Sapporo from Utanobori, we dropped by Nayoro City to have lunch in the most famous and popular eatery "Sansei Shokudo" well-established in 1914. The chef's signature fried chicken plate was my choice on that day. The house-made mayonaise made beautiful scenery with sesame on the fried chicken with sweet sauce. 

The owner family seemed to be living on the second floor of the building with the emblem and logo of the restaurant on the top. Ample parking lot was around the eatery. When I made a business trip to Utanobori in Kitami Esashi for the first time, the eatery on my way to Utanobori was closed, so I had been looking forward to have lunch there. I was so happy to host the lunch for my staff. 

 

Utanobori early in the morning !

by Kazu

As the time of our departure was  comparatively late on that day, I could jog around under the sky of pale blue. From the accommodation Utanobori Green Park to the entrance of the approach road, I could get the perspectives of the area.

A farmers house seemed to be still maintained and used and there seemed to be a farming field on the backside of the house.I could not see the rising sun but jogging around not in the darkness was so comfortable for me.

Some warehouses could be seen from the approach road to the hotel but I was wondering what the adjacent building is used for. I thought it was a spa building but it seemed to be too far from the main building of the hotel.

 

The River should be Clean !

by Kazu

It is difficult to raise rice crops in the northern part of Hokkaido Island. Dairy farming and veggie cultivation are the farmers choice in that area. Some pioneers who developed their farming land and found it tough to make ends meet, explored to Brasil, Paraguay and Hawaii.   

In the cold regions, the leaves and plants on the ground could not be solved enough and make the soil fertile. The ground tends to be barren to raise rice and wheat under the cold weather. 

Forestry was flourish until decades ago but the cheaper limber from overseas let the industry of forestry out of the competition and the public authority to take care of the forest on this island shrunk so much.

 

Deep into the Forest in Winter !

by Kazu

My business jaunt to Utanobori, Kitami Esashi was for one of the regular sampling and checking up the water quality, particularly the level of acid and heavy metal. In winter, we have to take snowcat to reach the check points in the depth of the forest.   

So-called "Passive treatment " of the wastewater from the shaft of the abolished mine needs extensive field to make an artificial marsh that contains slaked lime for the cost-effective treatment and plants such as reed that absorb heavy metal from the wastewater.

Just after abolishing the mine, acidic water damaged the rice crops and fishery in Okhotsk Sea. The wastewater should be treated continuously forever. It costs a hectic amount of money. Developing mines are lucrative if it is successful but taking care of the wastewater is also expensive.  

 

Abolished Mine Wastwater in Mid Winter !

by Kazu

The wastewater from the abolished mine tends to be warmer than the water flow of river like hot spring but it also tends to contain poisonous arsenic, so can't be used for hot spring spa without analysis.  

The artificial marsh that treated the acidic wastewater from the abolished mine was covered with snow and the plants like reed could not absorb heavy metal in them. The slaked lime worked out to neutralize the acidic wastewater in winter. 

Even after abolishing the mine, the wastewater continues to flow out of the shaft of the mine forever. Yes, even after our deaths in this world, it will continue to flow out.  The responsibility to keep the water flow of the public area is so heavy.

 

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.