The Downtown in the Port City Kushiro !

by Kazu 

It was still foggy when we ate out in Downtown of the city on that day. If we had straght consecutive 10 foggy days without seeing the blue sky and sunshine, we would have to address psychological depression, I think.

The Downtown of the city was still calm on the surface but I heard that so many inbound tourists visited the city and the needs of interpreters are increasing.

After jogging around the Hotel we stayed and bathing, I headed to the venue of the small party involving my staff and the branch officers.

 

Kushiro Harbor in the fog !

by Kazu 

We arrived in the city of fog, fishery, marsh and coalmine. It is Kushiro City in the east area of Hokkaido Island. 

It was foggy day in Kushiro and jogging around the bay area of the city was not tough for me.The atmosphere was nothing less of the sacred area of the indigenous people in Hokkaido Ainu.

Some fleets were having rest in the bay and something like mysterious was drlfting around the area 

 

Business Jaunt to the City of Fog !

by Kazu 

It was cloudy early in the morning on that day as if it was implying the weather of the destination for my  business jaunt.

It was difficult to expect to see the same kind of beautiful blossoms blooming in the city I would visit on that day but its landscape and the ones in surroundings area were like that of Scotland and other northern regions on this globe. 

I took the limited express train to visit the city of fishery, marsh and coalmine.

 

The Lookout in the Service Area of Taisetsu!

by Kazu 

I am not sure who designed this stone circle with beautiful flower garden and the landscape ofDaisetsu Mountainous Area of Hokkaido but anyway, we were surprised to find this place of comfort on the backside of the Highway service area. 

The collaboration of the nature and the artificial design looked so nice and breathtaking. 

 Fortunately, the flowers of Narcissus provided the landscape with their beautiful colors of yellow, white and green under the blue sky and white shiningclouds. 

Highway Service Area in Taisetsu !

by Kazu 

A flower garden with stones appeared on the southern side of a service area of the Hokkaido Central Highway.

It is located on the northern side of Daisetsuzan Mountainous Area of Hokkaido.  Needless to say, the mountainous area including Mt.Asahidake, the highest in Hokkaido could be seen from the garden. 

A brief explanation was carved on the stone plate at the end of a small stone circle. It was first time even for us to explore the backside of the service area. 

 

The Roadside Station "The Forest of Okhotsk in Engaru Town!

by Kazu 

I've never seen the Roadside Station "The Forest of Okhotsk" in Engaru Town empty on weekends. I found many kitchen cars in front of the building of the Roadside Station in Engaru Town on that day.

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It is the east end of the Central Hokkaido Highway and most of the cars that dropped by the Roadside Station brings hungry tourists to pick up the culinary delights and souvenirs in the area. The aroma of the grilled meat , some kinds of ethnic cuisine allured many tourists . 

I was not sure from where the kitchen cars came from but speaking of weekends, the roadside station must be good place to earn money, I thought. 

 

The Roadside Station in Engaru Town !

by Kazu 

The Roadside Station in Engaru Town has a variety of attractions around and inside itself. 

On the backside, it has some downhill ski courses and zipline. The ski course accommodates  skiing even in summer.

It also has wooden deck behind to enjoy culinary delights sourced locally in relaxing circumstances..

 

Bihoro Pass !

by Kazu 

It may be so nice to have less trees on the hillside surroundings the peak or pass to get clear and fine view as well as the perspectives in the area. 

The spectacular landscape around Bihoro Pass made us satisfied and happy on that day as usual. 

The central island in Lake Kussharo could be seen clearly and even the peak of Bihoro Pass from the opposite side of the lake.

 

The Beginning of the Season of Tourism !

by Kazu

The lakeside of Hotel New Akan has large dining room with this huge window made of the tall sheet glasses. The pier of the boats for sightseeing is just in front of the hotel well-established. 

I could not see many tourists on the boat leaving the pier but nowadays, the number of the tourists who explore the sacred lake for the indigenous people in Hokkaido Ainu by kayak or canoe in order to watch the round  algae called "Marimo" in Hokkaido closely. 

On our way back to my hometown Kitami City, we dropped by and went through Bihoro Pass that had so nice spot to get the perspectives of the surrounding area including Lake Kussharo below. 

 

The Deities of Lake Akan !

by Kazu

The clouds of white, gray and silver seemed to be indicating the uncertainty of the future and weather itself in the eastern part of Hokkaido Island.

At the beginning of the season of tourism in the Eastern Hokkaido, very few inbound tourists from overseas could be seen in the sacred area of the indigenous people in Hokkaido Ainu.

The Pier for the boats of sightseeing was very calm just after the departure of the ship. The sacred area should be kept calm but at the peak of the tourism season decades ago, the pier and the beach was swamped by so many tourists from other parts of Japan without the ones from overseas.