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Asap to Sapporo

keep cool!

As promised in my last post I`m delivering some photos of Sapporo‘s Yuki Matsuri (Snow Festival). As the 1.9 million inhabited city of Sapporo is comparatively young, constructions of Sapporo village only began in 1866 – whereas settlements in Kyoto or Nara date back to the 6th and 7th century – it can’t attract tourist with none existing historic temples or shrines. In winter 1950 a group of Students crafted sculptures of snow at Ōdōri-Park. This became an annual event and in 1955 Japan Self-Defense Forces joined and since then it evolved to a steadily growing event which was also discovered by the city to attracted tourists. Today Yuki Matsuri is one of the biggest international festivals of it’s kind and attracts 2 million tourists every year.
When getting to Sapporo from Tokyo (this time not via bicycle but by plane) someone at Sapporo Central Station shouts at me: “Simon, Simon!! Is it really you?” Gaku, my host from the 200 km away City Hakodate is also here. I seem to provoke such situations as a similar situation also happened to me twice in Tokyo when I visited the city for just one day both times. Gaku and I agree to meet the next day to explore the festival together.

Sapporo’s TV tower

We went out of bricks let’s use ice

There are two big boulevards. One exhibiting ice sculptures (Susukino) the other one coming up with huge snow- and ice buildings (Ōdōri-Park) re-sampling crystal clear castles, historic houses and statues or sculptures made out of snow. Round up by a vast alignment of merchandise-, food-, and souvenir booths.

Jump scene! Keep your skies crossed for me!

bottom ice

Yuki Matsuri is both during day time and at night well worth exploring. To get a good overview of all the attractions I recommend exploring the fair grounds during day time. But Sapporo’s night life and especially the colour changing lit snow- and ice buildings are breathtaking. During the whole day there are events going on everywhere in town. A giant ramp with jumps covered with snow is set up on the city’s biggest boulevard where ski- and snowboard artists perform neck breaking jumps. At night the ramp is also used as a projection surface. Bands play in front of a lit ice castle, the front wall of a snow house is being used as a giant screen to project an animated film on it, music students of the Sapporo University take part in a music contest and perform their very own compositions to the light play of an ice castle …
Sapporo is sister city with Munich among others. Despite a huge Maibaum (maypole) which was financed by Sapporo’s sister city, I discovered promotion posters of the Olympic summer games of 1972 which were held in Munich and Sapporo hosted the Olympic winter games the same year. Back then the summer and winter games still took place in the same year. The Olympic committee changed this rule in 1992. Since 1994 the Olympic Summer- and Winter games take turns in a two year term. Sapporo and Munich also have another thing in common: Beer. As Munich is famous for their local brands like Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Augustiener, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu or Spaten, Sappo has Sapporo. Found in 1876 by Seibei Nakagawa, a master brewer trained at Tivoli-Brauerei in Berlin.

Wow! What a cool car! lazy eyes

Fish eyes

All the sites of Yuki Matsuri don’t charge an entrance fee. Even the huge slides made of snow are free. However attractions like snow rafting or photo shoots charge a fee of course.

The best place to warm up after such cold days is either to go to an Onsen (hot spring spa which can be found nearly everywhere around Japan) or to have a tasty yaki niku (Korean barbecue). For those who can’t imagine how it works I posted some pics too.

Yaki Niku restaurant

I head to Furano – Hokkaido’s largest winter sports area where you won’t find a single snow canon! The snow is amazing! The area offers a huge variety of slopes. Decent powder-, perfectly prepared-, tricky bumpy-slopes, narrow picturesque forest tracks, and also wide and easy slopes – epic! Still compared to French, Swiss, Austrian or Italian standards the size of the whole skiing area is tiny. However I’d say it’s one skiing area with the best snow I’ve ever had in my life so far. (Probably) due to demographic development in Japan there are no long queues/lines at the lifts. Only on Sundays you might have to wait for five to maximum ten minutes at certain lifts. This situation is transferable to almost every skiing area in Japan. No matter if it’s the ski resorts around Nagano or in Niseko or Furano.

Fantastic Furano

Even in the warmer time of the year Furano is well worth a visit. There is a thriving flower- and plant growing economy in this region. Furano is especially know for it’s vast lavender fields hence the souvenir shops offer a large range of lavender products. Starting with pure dried lavender herbs over lavender soaps, shampoos, lotions, etc. Another famous Hokkaido brand is Royce’ chocolate. Even Furano offers a shop with chocolate of the luxury brand. Expensive but tasty. Give it a try.

Chocolate Museum Sapporo

Beer Museum Sapporo

Furano forest

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Special thanks to: Heide Engelstädter, Kyle Steward (text revision), Hubertus Neidhart from Webspace Provider Network for excellent web page hosting services; Lilith Pendzich

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Only one more city until I’m safe, until I will finally leave this region behind me and will be with a host again! I’m not in the mood for anything as I reach Kuji. At least I have no problems finding a hotel today, book a room that’s it!

Last day of the Tsunami region. Yes, I can’t wait to reach my next host in Misawa. Even though it’s 80 km it’s mainly flat and I cycle for the whole day. Shortly before Hachinohe I spot a very weird Garden. But have a look for yourself!

Cat bond

And an accident shortly thereafter in which a cyclist is involved and lying on the street warns me about being cautious. Do I really have to see something like this after what I have already gone through during the last few days?

accident

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Special thanks to: Mattew Hahn, Travis Haby (text revision), Ted Lackman (all U.S.A.) Hubertus Neidhart from Webspace Provider Network for excellent web page hosting services; Lilith Pendzich

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What did you see – old man?

From Utsunomiya I’m making my way via Koriyama to the 284.000 inhabitant small city of Fukushima. It’s a bit ironic. Since June I have been cycling through Japan and where do I face the first Godzilla on my journey? Although… it should have come into my mind way earlier why it is that way. Since Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla remake from 1998 most of us know what Godzilla likes. Well, what is it? Correct! On one hand there would be fish. Admittedly to enjoy this dish he could have chosen any sushi restaurant all over Japan. Born however was the giant mutated lizard on the Bikini atoll and, as we know, brought up with plenty of rays by U.S. American nukes. So fish and radioactivity. Ergo where does he feel home best? Right here in Fukushima. And this is how it is. Short before the entrance to the town I am being welcomed by Godzilla.

Well, against the background what happened here this is really evil satire. And I have to admit that I don’t feel comfortable to write that this way. I’m here to raise awareness of the problems and to help after all. Not to make fun of the situation. But this was really my first thought when I saw Godzilla here standing at the gates of Fukushima.

Fukushima

My host Reiko is from Malaysia. As she has to work during my estimated time of arrival she simply leaves the door to her apartment unlocked and describes to me how to get to her place. Astonishingly this seems to work pretty well here. You have to credit Japan really for one thing: It is a very safe country (well, except for it’s nuclear power plans of course). By the way Reiko is not my first host in Japan who handles it this way. However my first one who lives without a fridge / refrigerator. The food I just bought before I got to her place, especially the milk, has to stay overnight on her balcony. But it’s still up to 15°C at night. By the way milk is a certain topic. While being here in Fukushima I pay a lot of attention that it originates from the more than 500 km away Hokkaido. In 2011 the Japanese dairy company Meiji was criticized for selling radioactive milk powder. It’s evident. Cows belong to those animals which eat a lot of the radioactive grass infested by fallout. Meiji’s somewhat ambiguous advertising slogan: Brightening our customer’s lives through “Food & Health” seems a bit inartfully expressed.

But still life here seems to be back on again. If one can trust the sources in the internet, radiation here seems to be only slightly higher compared to other regions of Japan but distinctly below the radiation level which a human body absorbs during an international flight. The city itself is little spectacular. I don’t find anything which would meet the requirements to be captured by my camera’s lens. Neither conspicuous buildings or museums nor original beautiful parks. Fukushima has a horse racecourse. And even this building is not a big deal. Fukushima (prefecture) is known for it’s peaches amongst other things. But even if the radiation is not so high here it does not necessary mean that it is for the whole Prefecture. After the reactor catastrophe I don’t have any interest to try Fukushimas peaches.

Fukushima – horse race course

On a rainy day I set forth for Sendai. When stopping nearby the horse race course to take some photos a Japanese girl passes me on her fully packed bicycle. I’m curious and leap onto my bicycle and catch her up at the next traffic light. She tells me that she is on her way from Tokyo to Aomori (in the north of Japan’s main island Honshu) and that Sendai would be her destination for today. I join her and we cycle together to Sendai. I’m lucky the country side is very flat here. Would there be mountains she would pass them by three times faster than me as she does not have to pull a trailer with her bicycle after all of course. Unlike me she’s got a tent with her. But it’s not really a pleasure to camp on such a rainy day. I’m telling her about couch surfing – which is new to her – and offer that I ask my host if it would be okay to host her as well for one night.

It’s almost dark for two hours now when we arrive at 7 p.m. in Sendai. At the meeting point my host Vyacheslav set up I approach him at first to explain the situation pointing to Nozomi waiting in the rain on the other side of the street holding her bicycle. Of course it’s a bit awkward for me to bring someone to my host without any advanced notification, but also mention that she has a tent. But Vyacheslav is totally cool about it and beckons her across the street towards us. Nozomi and I share one room for ourselves in which I discover music instruments I’ve never seen before in my life. Nozomi explains to me that this plucking instrument was a Koto and the bowed instrument was a Kokyū. Nozomi only stays for one night and leaves on the next morning.

Nozomi short before her departure

Vyacheslav and his wife Helen are both from the Ukraine. Yes, they already went through two nuclear disasters in their life. Both are – as I find it – very interesting people which is why I ask them to give me an interview and a little concert. My wish will be obliged:

Higurashi von Daaaaaaaaaaaax

Sendai von Daaaaaaaaaaaax

Special thanks to: Mattew Hahn, U.S.A. (text revision); Reiko Ng, Malaysia; Helen & Vyacheslav Onyshchenko, Ukraine; Hubertus Neidhart from Webspace Provider Network for excellent web page hosting services; Lilith Pendzich

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Pagoda at Nikko

The leg from Mt. Shirane to Nakanojo (52 km/32 miles) is almost a constant downhill track which is of course a lot of fun. I’m pausing in Utsonomiya for three days as I’d like to see the tomb in Nikko which is about 40 km away from my host in Utsunomiya. There is only one Couchsurfing host in Nikko and as the mausoleum of Nikko is an UNESCO World heritage he receives up to 20 requests a day during the main season. Even though it’s autumn/fall and I sent my request more than a month in advance I wasn’t lucky and he was already booked out. My host says” this is perfect, as I haven’t had any ideas what to do with you. We can go there with my car!” I don’t have anything against it as Nikko is not directly on my route and I’d have lost at least two days. On top of it it saves me a night in a hostel.

On the leg from Koriyama to Fukushima a quite young Japanese cyclist overtakes me on his quite antique seeming bicycle. Nothing too special but an elephantine rucksack on his back makes me perplexed. After he read the sign on my trailer he asks me doubtfully if I was really on my way from Fukuoka to Sapporo with my bicycle. I answer – as I always do – with a simple: „yes“. „With that?“ he asks pointing to my trailer. Once again I’m answering with a simple: „yes“. And the usual Sugooooi (wow / unbelievable / awesome) is his answer. I ask where he’s going. He answers: „Aomori“ (in the north of Japans main island Honshu over 400 km away from here). Now I’m the one who’s looking incredulously at him: “with that?“, pointing on his bicycle. My question is answered with a simple: „yes“. I saved a lot of money when I bought my bicycle but there are obviously people who have even less demands than me.

respect for this guy with this bicycle!

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Special thanks to: Mattew Hahn, U.S.A. (text revision); Katsutoshi Horie, Japan; Chris DeHaan, Canada; Hubertus Neidhart from Webspace Provider Network for excellent web page hosting services; Lilith Pendzich

Continue reading »]]> Who resumes a bicycle trip with an 80 km long leg after a one month long lasting recovering break will be punished. Which is the case with me. But it’s my own body which punishes me.

After the first pass coming from Matsumoto

From Matsumoto I’m making my way via two smaller mountain pass to Nagano. However with one pass you wouldn’t want to mess with. After the tour I’m so exhausted that I’m simply too weak for the next two days to have a look at the city. For those who were hoping to see some photos of the former winter Olympics city may be becalmed. After the end of the cyclonara tour I will pay my friends in Manza (nearby Nagano) a visit again and there might be some time to see the city as well.

My host Alex, 24, from New Zealand teaches English in Nagano. As a topping on the ice cake of my two day recover phase I’d like to indulge my body a very special Onsen. I heard from an Onsen (hot spring) in which also Monkeys have a bath. Alex have heard from it too and so we take his car to get to the Onsen about 40 km north of Nagano (City). As we know this Onsen is one of Nagano’s (prefecture) main tourist attractions we are surprised by the low entrance fee. Only 500 Yen!

And there are really Monkeys jumping towards us after entering the Onsen area. But lockers are nowhere to be found. When approaching the Onsen we quickly realize that it’s an Onsen exclusively for Monkeys. And well… contrary to my expectations these monkeys are not trained and also use the Onsen as a toilet. Intelligible that it’s of little interest for the hygiene-conscious Japanese people to share this Onsen with the monkeys. But since Alex and I skipped the shower this morning we are – at least regarding the smell – in good company.

Snowmonkeys

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Special thanks to: Henry Ngai, U.S.A (text revision), Alex Laing, New Zealand, Toru Momose, Japan; the whole Manza team, Hubertus Neidhart from Webspace Provider Network for excellent web page hosting services; Lilith Pendzich

Continue reading »]]> Another post from August which was overdue: Right in time for a special Festival once again. This time in Matsumoto. The Matsumoto bon bon festival which attracts up to 25.000 dancers every year. Everybody can participate on the dances on the streets. Football teams, volleyball, tennis or karate clubs… Or just come with a bunch of friends. And as it’s a good promotion for businesses company employees are also participating and are promoting their company this way.

Matsumoto bon bon von Daaaaaaaaaaaax

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Special thanks to: Alex Laing, New Zealand (text revision), Toru Momose, Japan; Sato Kozo, Japan; the whole Manza team, Hubertus Neidhart from Webspace Provider Network for excellent web page hosting services; Lilith Pendzich

Continue reading »]]> I know, the last posts were a little long in the making. I guess I exaggerated it a little with the Torii Pass – the route which won the first vote. Because after passing the pass :) my right foot caused me some problems and swelling. I thought I’d have to abort the trip. Luckily Matsumoto is nearby Manza – where last year, I used to work – and I could stay at my friends for a month to convalesce again.

I simply didn’t want to post a note about a possible cancellation of the tour. It wouldn’t have been necessary after all.

Now I can go on with the posts from early August of the historic Nakasendo from Nagoya to Matsumoto that are over due:

Ceramics Museum in Tajimi

My route takes me from Nagoya to Tajimi, known for ceramic fine arts. There is one of the best – if not maybe the best – ceramics schools in the whole of Japan and even a ceramics museum. As luck would have it my host is a ceramics artist. I would like to take photos of her works, however they are packed for an exhibition at the museum and we will take them there the next day. However I have the fortune of accompanying her to the museum the next day and can present you photos of the building. A very appealing piece of architecture I think. Designed by Arata Isozaki.

For the next two days I can’t find a host for the first time on my trip through Japan. It’s hardly surprising as it is a very rural site of Japan. Still I’m lucky to find a very cheap but very new Youth hostel in Nakatsugawa and as cheap Onsen hotel nearby Kiso. The landscape is very hilly, however until Kiso I’m cycling in a valley alongside the Kiso river which is why the incline is very moderate. And finally it’s getting colder – at least a bit. From 36°C in Nagoya to 32°C in Nakatsugawa and ‘only” about 30°C in Kiso.

On the way to Kiso

This is where my first vote between a road fork happens and the Torii pass is the winner. But before reaching the pass I will meet these nice young folks in my lunch break.

Well I know the end of the video was a bit abrupt. I am so exhausted that I am not in mood to do the good bye moderation. However I make it to Matsumoto the same day (yes, before midnight).

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Special thanks to: Alex Laing, New Zealand (text revision), Seika Takahashi, Japan; Toru Momose, Japan; the whole Manza team, Hubertus Neidhart from Webspace Provider Network for excellent web page hosting services; Lilith Pendzich

Continue reading »]]> It is dreamlike! My host in Onomichi does not life in Onomichi but on a wonderful island located in the Seto Inland Sea. I don’t want to withhold those beautiful pictures of course!

After a short, rainy stop in Fukuyama I set forth to Yakage. Finally rain :) My host’s girlfriend is going to show us to what extend a Japanese driver’s license is different from ours. Have fun!

Japanese driver’s license / Japanischer… von Daaaaaaaaaaaax

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Here you’ll find Melody’s blog.

Special thanks to: Thomas Kloepfer (U.S.A), Kazumasa Hosokawa (Japan), Gavin Brown and Melody Wong (both U.S.A.), Hubertus Neidhart from Webspace Provider Network for excellent web page hosting services; Christoph Flossmann, Lilith Pendzich

Continue reading »]]> Despite the plum rain I stayed dry most of the time. I made my way from Fukuoka to Okagaki, from there on I rode to Kitakyushu and  took the ferry to the main island Honshu and cycled until Ube.

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Special thanks to: Kay Makishi (U.S.A.), Joel Abad (Japan), Hubertus Neidhart from Webspace Provider Network for excellent web page hosting services; Christoph Flossmann, Lilith Pendzich