Cycling Monitor Tour Course in Winter !

 by Kazu

Can you remember I posted the photos of the tourist of cycling monitor tour conducted at the beginning of November ?
This is near the starting point of the last day in the monitor tour.
Heavy snowfall hit Yubari City this winter, too.

 I would appreciate it if the member of the tour could remember where this is.
This is the road from Yubari City to Kuriyama Town.

The scenery is so different from that in November but the view is clearer than in autumn because the trees lost the leaves.

Only the spruces keep the leaves with white snow on them.

Can you remember this small shrine that you passed by, Taro-san, Mrs. Gemeni Tsai and Mr. Quinton Cheng ?
This is the point I took pictures of all the tour members .
Have a nice weekend !
I will visit Taiwan next month !

The World of Snow and Ice !

by Kazu

It may be dangerous to jog around in such weather of unclear vision. But the heavy snow fall can not be an excuse to fail the exercise every morning. Actually, my smart phone could not focus on the white scenery because of the snow fall this morning.
Can you find the white building over the white field ? Would you stroll around such white field without help ?

For us, people in Hokkaido, this is the everyday life in winter and commute to our office almost without delay. Without cap or warmer, your ears would feel the harsh ache and soon no pain later.
Different from my hometown Kitami City, the snow cling to the hands and body, taking away the fever from the flesh in Iwamizawa. The coldness makes me imagine the pain and death but in Kitami, the snow is not so sticky and does not bring the pain, just paralyzing the body without fear of death.
In the era of pioneering in Hokkaido, this coldness had been what the people had to fight against.  

The Party Spread from Sorachi !

 by Kazu

As I posted yesterday, various kinds of food, drinks and products were served in the party for the people who have a relationship with Sorachi sub-prefectural area of Hokkaido.

The top is Japanese sake brewed in the snow of Numata Town to make it milder slowly. The name is "Yukinagori" which means "left snow" or "the trace of snow"in Japanese.
"Yukinagori is made from the rice "Kirara 397" raised in the town.

On the left is ros'e, the assemblage made from wild grapes in Maoi Winery of Naganuma Town. It has stable sweetness and the flavor of the wild grapes that spreads mildly in your mouth.

This Japanese sake is named "Kin-no-Shizuku Sunagawa " which means the drops of gold and the name of the city, Sunagawa. Needless to say, it is made from the rice raised in the city but the rice grains should be ground much more than other sake. The full-bodied taste with fresh, dry and deep feeling is the characteristics of this sake.

This is un-filtrated sake called "Ikkon" which means one soul in Japanese and the category i called "Doburoku". As you may recognize, the liquid is white and not clear. This is made in Naganuma Town.

 This is fried rice cake called "Okaki" in Japanese. The snack is crisp and salty and flavored with shrimp, scallop or kelp. Sometimes I forget the time passing while eating this snack and eat up one bag, drinking beer. "HORI" company is producing this snack as well as the famous Yubari Melon Jelly and other sweets in Sunagawa City which is one of the most popular place to produce confections, cakes, snacks and baumkouchen.  

This is the rice balls made of chicken rice by Nakamura Company in Bibai City. The chicken rice made from the chicken broth and meat is very popular in the promotion of local cuisine and the material rice is "Nanatsu-boshi" which means seven star in Japanese. It was provided as the rice balls for convenience of the guests this time.

To be continued.    

The party was thrown !

by Kazu

The annual party for the officers of Hokkaido Government who have relationships with Sorachi Sub-prefectural area of Hokkaido was thrown at remodeled Pole Star Hotel Sapporo in the evening of February 3(Mon.).
Opening speech was delivered by the mayor of Iwamizawa City Mr. Matsuno Satoru and the member of Hokkaido Legislature Mr. Tsurube Isao who is one of the most powerful key person in the legislature.  

Actually, under his suggestion to the mayors and the Director-General for Sorachi Sub-prefecture of Hokkaido Government Mr. Yasunori Yamane, Hokkaido Sorachi Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association will be established on February 17(Mon.) and the ceremony will be held in Sun Plaza Hotel in Iwamizawa City.

The office of the association will be placed in the Chambers of Commerce of Iwamizawa and it requests the honor to be accompanied by the Head of Delegation from Taiwan to Sapporo Mr. Chen and his wife.
Various kinds of food products, drinks and produces sourced locally were provided by the municipalities in Sorachi sub-prefectural area.

Then I introduce them on this blogo-sphere.
The first is the smoked rainbow trout made in Kamisunagawa Town.
The trouts are raised in the spring for tab water used by the citizen.

To be continued.

The 12th Takikawa Paper-bag Lantern Festival !

by Kazu

On February 22, Paper-bag Lantern Festival is to be held from 17:00 to 20:00 and the illusional scenery can be seen in the downtown of Takikawa City. It counts 12th this year. The opening ceremony is to get started at 17:00 on the field in front of the railway station of Takikawa City.
If you could find the designated three kinds of lanterns, you would get the present from the committee that arranged this festival. The photo competition will also be held and hot drinks will be waiting for you in the shivering cold wind.
Please make the most of your time in the white cold winter !  

The Delegation of Team Sorachi to Taiwan !

by Kazu

Today, we happily announce that Sorachi Sub-prefecture of Hokkaido will dispatch its delegation of the Team Sorachi to Taiwan in March. The precise date is currently adjusted but the delegation will depart for Taiwan on March 17(Mon.) or 18(Tue.). The delegation will be headed by the would-be President of Hokkaido Sorachi Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association Mr. Tajima and the  

chair of Iwamizawa Chambers of Commerce and Industry Mr.Igarashi. The Director-General for Sorachi Sub-prefecture will accompany the delegation with his subordinate "me".
It is with great honor to have the occasion to see the top brass of Taiwanese Government and the private sector.
If we could have any chances to see Taro-san, Mrs. Gemini Tsai, Mr. Quinton Cheng and other friends in Taiwan, we would appreciate it so much but total itinerary has not been decided. I will post it on Facebook and this web page after our itinerary and schedule are finalized.
See you again in Taiwan !      

Jippy Winter Festival in Nanporo Town !

by Chis.

Jippy Winter Festival will be held in Nanporo Town on February 9(Sun.)
These photos were taken last year.
Curling, snow mobile, ice & snow candles are the big draw in the festival.
The kids from the sister town of Nanporo Town, Taragi Town in Kumamoto Prefecture are invited to the festival and special events are planned.

 The famous mascot character of Kumamoto Prefecture Kumamon will also visit Nanporo and join the festival with Nanporo's character Cabbachi-kun.
The festival will get started at eleven o'clock in the morning but the kids can play with Kumamon and Cabbachi-kun from ten o'clock to eleven in the morning.

Ton's of cabbages are produced in Nanporo Town and hot and spicy pickled cabbage and Chinese lettuces are sold here and there in the town.
Please try the veggies raised in Nanporo Town!