Roses are the flower of my living district, Shiroishi ward in Sapporo city, and we can enjoy roses in the safety islands along Kanjodori Boulevard. The budget probably comes from the Hokkaido prefecture. I would definitely say YES for an increase of the budget to make the view better. There had been an exquisite nice rose garden in the hillside of Mt. Moiwa that commanded a nice view of Sapporo city. Although the garden was privately owned, it had been open for public. I think that many of the Sapporo citizens were disappointed to hear the garden was closed. The largest rose garden in Hokkaido is the one in Iwamizawa, …
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It’s the cherry blossoms season!
We all have been waiting for this season. The cherry blossoms, at last! Why do the Japanese have such a strong emotional attachment to cherry blossoms? Probably the secret lies in the clear cut four seasons in Japan, and the cherry blossoms signifies beginning, or maybe departure, in our minds. In Japan, school year and the fiscal year begin in April and end in March, so that life-events such as graduation and employment coincide with the cherry blossom season. You would be surprised to hear that virtually all Japanese companies, listed on the stock exchange, employ new-graduates as of April 1st and hold an employment ceremony on that day. I …
From Father to Son
Shinoya, a soba restaurant, is one of my favorites in Sapporo. It’s located only 5 minutes’ walk from the Sapporo Prince Hotel. The soba noodle they serve is called “Sarashina” that uses only the core portion of soba grains and is whiter than others. Sarashina, therefore, is not to enjoy the aroma of soba but rather to enjoy its what we call “trace in the throat.” Noodle making of this kind requires years of hard work and experience, I hear. The owner chef had unexpectedly passed away last year, however, his son took over the restaurant and its “one of a kind” soba is waiting for me just like before. It …
Do they have winter tires for bicycles?
It seems to me that my neighbors love bicycles so much and they cannot get rid of riding on them even during the winter 🙂 I doubt that they have winter tires for bicycles, however, postman’s motor bikes do put on winter tires during winter. Yes! They deliver mails with motorbikes, even on the icy road in Sapporo! With a full load of mails packed in the bag attached to the handlebar and in a box on the rear seat, postman’s driving technique is really “Kamiwaza.”
Sapporo Snow Festival
The 65th Sapporo Snow Festival is now underway! If you have a chance to visit the festival, I strongly recommend to see the sculpture during the night time, too. The lighting show is really something. It’s damn cold though 🙂 For your information, the Snow Festival is held in early February each year. The official English information is here.