What Does the Salvage Ship Pick Up !

by Kazu

I think it was the first time for me to see such salvage fleet closely in Japan. I've ever seen the one in Unalaska, Alaska, U.S. several years ago.I was not sure what the salvage ship would pick up offshore of Kushiro City but I was overwhelmed a little bit by the size of the ship and the courage to go offshore with this systematic facility. 

Different from the scenery of the city including the wharf, the passengers on the sidewalk in the town were very few but the beauty of the city was getting better, I thought. The accommodation facilities had got better too, I thought.

The crews of the salvage fleet could see the Nusamai Bridge and the Fishermen's Wharf like this. They must be so looking forward to savor the culinary delights sourced locally and drink. "Kitanokatsu"is one of the most famous and delicious Japanese sake brewed in the city and the brewery leave some of them in the gallery of the coalmine under the seabed for a year. The Japanese sake is called "Sokojikara"   

 

Fishermen's Wharf Moo in Kushiro !

by Kazu

I think the Fishermen's Wharf Kushiro was built decades ago and many tourists drop by to buy souvenirs, eat top-grade seafood and take part in the events held inside. A salvage fleet was having a rest near the facility. I thought it might be easy to enter the city from overseas without passport control.

It was getting darker gradually as the setting sun was sinking under the horizon. The ocean was very calm as if it was ready to sleep. It would be fine the next day. I jogged around the fishermen's city before the binge drinking in the old bar-hopping area of the city.

 

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.