Boston Museum !

by Kazu

This is the central hall of Boston Museum. It was my second visit to this museum. I've been there for the first time about twenty years ago. I drove for approximately seven  hours from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada at that time.

The impression of the museum was a little bit different from that of twenty years ago but the solemn design of the building was just what I had seen twenty years ago.

It was an hour before the next appointment to meet the President of the Boston Hokkaido Society at the restaurant in the building that had been used as a jail many years ago.

Former Prison !

by Kazu

We left Boston Museum and headed to the rendezvous point to meet the Boston Hokkaido Society. Many international medical students from Hokkaido are the members of the society.   

The rendezvous point was the restaurant that used the building of former jail. It had been refurbished so nicely but you may be able to imagine the prisoners in each cell of this building. 

It was the first time for me to visit this restaurant. I will take my wife next time we visit Boston but nobody knows when we will be. We are missing Maine lobster and Boston clam chowder. 

Chorus Group in Harvard University !

by Kazu

Dr. Kiyoko Morita taught Japanese language in this university before. That is why we could enjoy the private tour in the university in our visit. She knew every nook and cranny of the university.

Many famous professors and celebrities gave lectures to the students in this hall. Dr. Morita kindly introduced and took us to this place before the meeting with the chorus group in the university.

After the pandemic of covid-19 from Wuhan, China, their visit to Hokkaido was postponed but I would like to make it real in the not-so-distant future.

Walking around in Harvard !

by Kazu

At the foot of the statue of Professor Harvard, I also took a photo of myself. That was my last business jaunt to overseas after the pandemic of covid-19 from Wuhan, China conquered the world. 

I lugged around a huge and heavy bag that contained the souvenirs and the promotion materials of Hokkaido. It turned out that the President of Massachusetts Hokkaido Society Dr. Kiyoko MORITA called me "Hokkaido Cowboy".

We headed to the old building of the university to meet the female chorus group of the university. They planned to visit Hokkaido to learn about the traditional songs and tunes of the indigenous people of Hokkaido Ainu. 

MIT Media Labo. to Harvard University !

by Kazu

We watched around inside the Media Labo. of MIT to check up the possible parts of the labo. for the gubernatorial visit from Hokkaido. Every detail of the facility tickled our interest and the display may stimulate the  ordinary gray part of my brain.   

Our delegation members from Hokkaido Prefectural Government and Hokkaido Board of Education left the Media Labo. of MIT and headed to Harvard University. We took some memorial photos in front of the statue of Professor Harvard.

Many visitors did the same around the statue. Some international students from Hokkaido were studying in a variety of fields of this university. The tuition of the facility is so expensive but the rewards are priceless.  

MIT Media Labo !

by Kazu

The total layout of the labo. seemed to stimulate the creativity of the researchers and tickle the funny bone. The labo. established strong partnerships with many top private companies and absorbed a hectic amount of money in return of many seeds of golden eggs.   

At the entrance of a certain section in the labo. , there was a figure of the mascot character made of Lego blocks. The administrative staff and researchers of the facility have to find the sponsors and partners to create new set of values and technologies.  

The wide and open space of the labo. made a fabulous harmony with the cells for  the researches. Top of top researchers exerted special efforts and became the target of the performance appraisal.   

Media Laboratory of MIT!

by Kazu

As the scout delegation of Hokkaido Prefectural Government and Hokkaido Board of Education, we visited Massachusetts Institute of Technology to seek for the possibility of some kinds of cooperation with the institute. 

The design of the Media Labo. of MIT looked so nice, sophisticated and stimulating the area of creativity in our brains. We were planning to arrange the gubernatorial visit to the facility when the Governor Naomichi SUZUKI visits Massachusetts to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the Sister-state Affiliation.  

Fortunately, we had the honor to enjoy the private tour in the facility. It was prohibited to take photos of the inside each section but the outlook was OK. It might have been a special occasion for us.  Thanks a lot !  

Consulate General to MIT !

by Kazu

It has been almost a year since we visited Boston, Massachusetts. Until covid-19 from Wuhan, China conquered and devastated the world, everything had been going well toward the stronger relationship between the regions. 

With the cooperation of many people including Dr. Kiyoko Morita, Mr. and Mrs. Orral, the Consul General of Japan in Boston and other friends, we could figure out many plans for the rosy future of the regions.

We have to get over the current tough situation and carry out them all for the youths who will make our dreams come true. As the first step of the plans, we visited Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Labo. 

Dinner hosted by the Consul General of Japan in Boston !

by Kazu

The Consul General of Japan in Boston kindly arranged a dinner in his residence and invited us. Mrs. Keiko ORRAL and her husband, one of the powerful members of  the House of Representative in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts were also invited and joined us. 

Mr. and Mrs. ORRAL kindly provided us with wonderful support and cooperation in seeking for the possible sister school affiliation between Hokkaido and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in cooperation with Dr. Kiyoko Morita. 

We really appreciate their consideration and cooperation as well as their hospitality. Hokkaido Prefectural Government should import tons of cranberry produced in their constituency.  

Consul General of Japan in Boston !

by Kazu

We visited the residence of the Consul General of Japan in Boston after visiting some high schools in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to seek for the possible sister-school affiliation with that in Hokkaido.

Hokkaido Prefectural Government and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts had been planning to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the Sister-state Affiliation in the year of 2020.

Dr. Kiyoko Morita, the President of the Massachusetts Hokkaido Association always works wonders to enhance the interaction and relationship between the regions. This time she involved Dr. Tiger OHKOSHI for the future of the regions.