The Winter Comes to An End... in 2009

2nd April, 2009 - Our first full day in Sapporo on our 6th trip to Japan together. Early April in Sapporo is a strange "in-between" month for weather. It's not winter (and there's very little new snow around), and Spring is starting to make an appearance...slowly. However, there remains quite a bit of snow lying around, remnants of a bitterly cold winter. Sapporo's architecture is a strange mix of styles - including the older style apartments. Actually this one has been ear-marked for renovation for a long time, but to show how difficult tenancy laws can be in Japan, the business that rents the ground floor refuses to move - hence it remains. I always thought it strange to see vending machines on the side of back-streets in Japan... and yet, I can't recall EVER having a drink from this machine - or even seeing anyone buy a drink. Is this like soft-drink mafia tactics... it's all about street domination. Japan can be a very complex country.

By the way - it's somewhat ironic that as I write this, the streets of Sapporo look quite a bit different as of today in 2011...

In the near distance, the mountains rear up, still snow covered (but not the nice powder snow that exemplifies Hokkaido - but we'll see some more of that in the next post). T-chan used to have fantastic views of the mountains from her bedroom window... but alas, the new form of architecture - the modern mansion apartments have come to increasingly close in the skyline (and the sky) from many modern Japanese residents ... and Sapporo is a relatively low density city compared to the likes of Tokyo or Osaka. The plain, bland almost colourless mansion apartments are both a good thing and bad thing for th city... they erode at the fabric of the social neighbourhood village feel, and they also herald the withdrawal of the outer regional populations into the main cities... however, they bring life, money and infrastructure to the older suburbs.

T-chan's family garden is starting to recover from the winter blanket of snow... and otousan (T-chan's father) has already taken down the yukitsuri that protects and strengthens the plants from snow... as a reminder... check here for what the garden looks like in winter. You can see in the photo above that the neighbours pine still has it's pole and rope supports up.

And whilst the maximum temperatures are still cold (and sometimes cooler) - generally around the 7 to 13 degree Celsius mark - April marks the turning point of the weather, and we all start to try and get out and about more. The reality is however that whilst there are nice blue skies on this day, it can be still quite grey and forbidding at this time of year. L-kun of course was spoilt by his Japanese grandparents whom had bought him a trike to ride. All rugged up, he decided to hazard the cold temperatures and go for a spin

This was one of the joys of otousan who would often take L-kun for a walk. Good exercise... and great times together.

That also gave T-chan and I a chance to run off to the local Aeon shopping centre and indulge in some much needed retail therapy (on our second day in Japan)... including some wonderful crepes... from the local Baskin & Robbins 31 store. Crepe's are something that are actually quite difficult to get in Adelaide, but the Japanese love... and in this I share their delight. As does T-chan. 

On his return, L-kun is not one to miss out on an eating opportunity. Including day-old birthday cake. Japan for us is very much about eating...and that doesn't always have to be nice healthy food either. 

Old Hokkaido Government Building... Made in USA (almost)

13th May, 2008 - Following on from our walk around the Botanic Gardens, we took L-kun for a walk around the Old Hokkaido Government Building near the Grand Hotel (actually the Grand is where we had our pre-wedding party back in 2003). Last time we were walking here it was February 2003... and there was quite a different look and feel to the place this time around (something to do with being able to feel your extremities I suspect). At that time, it was snowmen rather than flowers that dominated the scenery. On this occasion, cherry blossoms, not snow, formed a blanket on the lakes surface.

It's often easy to get the view of Japan as an ancient and homogeneous country, and in many ways this is true. However, Hokkaidō is a relatively new addition to what is traditionally considered Japan. It was initially populated by the Ainu people, a culturally, linguistically and racially different people from mainstream Japanese.  As is often the case with aboriginal peoples, they had a somewhat difficult time coming to terms with maintaining their own way of life, whilst trying to cope with the external Japanese expansion from the south. In fact, it was not until the Muromachi Period (from the mid 1300's) that a form of permanent Japanese presence came to the island, though this was always a somewhat loose form of feudal Japanese control.

It was not until the Meiji Restoration that the Northern Island of Hokkaidō was fully opened up... both as a response to the pro-shogunate forces that had established a break-away province which was finally crushed in Hakodate in 1868 (during the Boshin War) - but also as a response to the growing threat of Russian expansion. As a result, the Japanese population of the island increased five-fold in the space of 10 years. The newly developed city, established officially in 1868 also became the capital of the island; the original government building can now be seen in the Historical Village in Sapporo. With the reformation of the political structure of the island, a new Government building was constructed based on a very American inspired design. Actually, whilst the look was very much American - the actual design was Japanese. 

The Hokkaidō Government Building (Hokkaidōchō kyūhonchōsha) was actually destroyed by fire in 1909... though apparently the tough old red-brick exterior suffered little damage. Now those red-bricks provide a somewhat jarring counterpoint to the modern Japanese buildings; in addition to the octagonal dome which was all the rage back in the States at the time.

These days the building is known not only for it's distinctive architecture, but also it's beautiful gardens. And tulips form a dramatic focal point come spring-time.

But the grounds contain a nice assortment of trees and water features, and you can have a good stroll through the extensive gardens. It's only about a 5-10 min walk from Sapporo Station, and is well worth the time. Admission to the grounds and building is free.

There were a couple of Americans who were central figures in the agricultural development of Hokkaido during the early days of the islands re-development - one was Horace Capron, and the other was William S. Clark who started the first agricultural college in Japan, and who is famously recorded as saying (in parting the city and country), "Boys, Be Ambitious!".  These words can still be seen remembered in the city of Sapporo. And as I look into the eyes of our son (through the stroller cover), I could only hope that this spirit of adventure and the shaping the unknown could be captured by him. L-kun, be ambitious - but above all, be a good boy! Onegaishimasu.

Ume Blossoms... The Sweet and the Sour of Hiraoka Kouen

8th May, 2008 - After the wonderful experience of the cherry blossoms, we had seen on the local Sapporo news that the Ume trees (I'll explain about ume later) were in full bloom at Hiraoka Kouen, to the south-east of Sapporo. Otousan had very graciously volunteered to drive us there the following day (the 8th)... and we were expecting big things.

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Now I don't want to be overly critical of the Sapporo television channels, but the report that they showed the night before, and what we found were slightly at odds. Instead of being at full bloom, we found the ume to be past their peak. But in true stoic Japanese style, we made the most of what was there. Hiraoka Kouen (park) is a free city-administered park, with some 1200 ume trees. Now ume is known by a few names... Japanese plum, Japanese vine tree, Japanese apricot... well according to my research (it's botanical name is prunus mume) it's actually closer to an apricot-variety that had come to Japan from China a long time ago... And depending on the variety, will either blossom as a pink or a pale green/white flower.

Now the Japanese love to make the most of their attractions. If you're going to see the ume blossom, why don't you eat the ume blossom. I guess it's very efficient. Anyhow, they make ume flavoured soft-cream (ice-cream) for all to enjoy. In fact, today was L-kun's first icecream experience...

And no... I wasn't eating for two... I was holding T-chan's.

Actually, ume is a not uncommon flavouring in Japanese dishes (especially at this time of year). If you haven't tried umeboshi, then I would definitely recommend it. With a warning. I love sour, explode in your mouth surprises. Umeboshi is a sort of pickled ume fruit, which is extremely sour and salty, and might possibly constitute a violation of human rites if forced to eat it. It's sometimes served with meals, or with rice balls (onigiri), and is quite...er... noticeable. It is very Japanese (despite it's Chinese roots), and something you should seek out. Even if it's ume-flavoured candies... which are good if you need to wake up in a hurry.

The flowers were definitely beautiful on the trees that were still well and truly in bloom.

And the variety between colours was also unexpected.

But I have to say that I felt a little cheated that we'd driven all this way based on the news story which had to have been filmed at least a couple of days earlier. Despite the disappointment, it was an enjoyable excursion, and we all had a good time (especially the now ice-cream obsessed L-kun).

And sometimes, when we expect the grand vistas of blooms and find they're not there - we realise that it's not necessarily the quanity that matters. The blossoms are amazine en masse, but the meaning is deeper. This is Spring. The winter has departed. Life re-emerges from it's cold slumber to re-affirm it's dominance over the landscape.

I'm not sure that L-kun was taking all of this in... but there is something singularly beautiful about a tree in full-bloom. Is it really surprising that someone with less than a year's life experience can see this?

One of the things that we saw that day was a school trip, where all the kids had been decked out in their near-matching outfits and hats. As we watched, there was a definite difference in our perspective. Last trip, we most probably wouldn't have given this school group a second thought. Yet now, when we watched, we saw something of L-kun's future. It might not be in a Japanese school, but you never know. The future seems far less abstract once you have your own children. It's no longer like looking through a cloudy window out at some other's world... this was like looking at our future. That sort of thought makes you sit up and notice.

This sort of moment is an umeboshi for the soul!... still plenty of sweet to offset the sour.

Is This The Best Place for Cherry Blossoms in Hokkaido?

7th May, 2008 - After our unsuccessful attempts to see the Cherry Blossoms previously, we set out again with determination (now that Golden Week had officially finished) to see if we could catch a glimpse of the real thing. Our destination was Toda Kinen Bochi Kouen, near Atsutaka Ishikari.... and this time we weren't going to be disappointed.

The park is some 55km North from Sapporo Station, an inland drive along the coast. It's a pleasant drive... but last time, we turned back just before the bridge over the Ishikari River due to the grid-locked traffic going to the park. About 20 km away from the park. That's Golden Week for you.

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Anyhow, the park has some 8,000 yoshino sakura (I didn't count them all). Many of the trees are planted as beautiful sakura namiki (rows of cherry blossoms) along the roadways. It certainly made for some spectacular driving in the green forested hills of Hokkaido. Perhaps the trees were made more beautiful for the backdrop of green that surrounded them...

Or the deep blue Hokkaido Spring sky....

Either way, these were the sakura that I had come to Japan to see. I was definitely satisfied... arigatou otousan to okaasan! The previous disappointment of Maruyama Kouen and previous aborted drive were wiped away that fine morning.

There are a number of tree-lined avenues that were absolutely spectacular - including one that is about 1 km long and is a veritable cherry blossom tunnel. The strange thing is that whilst common-sense would suggest that you get out of your car and walk... common-sense does not necessarily mean the same thing to all people. So whilst you would be enjoying the beautiful sakura blossoms, you'd occasionally have to get off the path whilst someone drove their car past. Sometimes quite a few cars...

A sakura tunnel

Now... what exactly is this park?... well the observant among you (well, it's not that hard to see) will already know that Toda Kinen Bochi Kouen is actually a cemetery. Yes, we had driven over an hour to walk around the petal festooned paths and roadways of a cemetery. Like the cemetery at Takino, this is a fairly famous cemetery around Sapporo. This one is associated with the Sōka Gakkai, an unusual blend of philanthropic organisation and lay religion (based broadly on Nichiren Buddhism). With approximately 8-12 million followers, it's a significant slice of the Japanese population...and one that is surrounded by some controversy for it's political connections. For me, I am happy to leave those questions to those best equipped to answer them. As such, I can enjoy these beautiful trees with an open mind.

And whilst the tombstones themselves lack the interesting variety of Takino, and the cemetery certainly has a deficiency of Stone Henge's and Easter Island Heads... it makes up for it however in beauty and serenity. There are certainly worse places to rest your weary bones (even if they are cremated).

L-kun, still under 1 year here, and whilst he was sort of interested, his interest was pretty well limited to having Cherry Blossom showers... and when you're 1, why not!

Meanwhile, this is definitely one of the best places to see the cherry blossoms in/around Sapporo if you have access to a car, and don't mind sharing the view with the living-challenged. It's not really a place however to strictly enjoy hanami (normally associated with eating, drinking and being merry). There is still a sombre mood to the park - it is a cemetery after all. There are places where you can eat, or where you can find a seat an have a picnic lunch... 

Is this the best place to view Cherry Blossoms in Hokkaido? Maybe it is the most spectacular (I haven't seen that many), but it may not be able to capture the exuberant atmosphere that accompanies a typical Japanese hanami. It is however one of the most beautiful places to view sakura at their peak in Hokkaido. I'd definitely go there again - just not in Golden Week.

Wedding Bells are Ringing in Adelaide. An International Marriage

March 2004 - Fast-forward to our Big Day which has arrived at last. T-chan's family and best friend had come to sunny Adelaide, to Carrick Hill, which is one of the old colonial estates in Adelaide that stands overlooking the city. We had planned for a fairly simple and small garden wedding - but even then it was a major effort to organise! We would have the first half as a traditional Western Wedding - with vows in both English and Japanese - and then we would have a Japanese ceremony at the end.

The day was a beautifully bright day in March (which can be a changeable month in Adelaide). As the harpist started playing the Ave Maria, I watched as T-chan and her father approached down the pear arbour. My heart melted...

The Wedding Ceremony itself went so fast - and we both managed to get through our vows alright. Whew!

The exchange of rings...I do, I do I DO!

Finally... now for the fun stuff...

A few moments to take some photos... 

Our Sakura+Ema Wedding Wishes Trees...

After a short break for people to eat and relax, T-chan and I changed into our kimono. Not a trivial matter - especially for T-chan. Actually, strictly speaking it's a bit strange for T-chan to wear this kimono at her wedding ceremony - but it was going to be last chance for her to wear this kimono (as it's not appropriate for her to wear now that she's married... what a shame).

We then undertook the san-san-kudo Shinto ceremony (meaning 3-3-9 times), which is an elaborate tradition where the groom and bride take three "sips" each from three lacquered cups containing sake. Actually, you only drink the last time. Three is a sacred number, and here each cup represents heaven, earth and humankind. T-chan's mother and aunt conducted the ceremony.

We were now officially an International Marriage... is that different from any other sort of marriage? Well, yes and no. And perhaps I'll explain as I go in later posts.

After the wedding ceremony, T-chan and I returned home, stopping off in Himeji Gardens on Adelaide's South Terrace which is a very nice (though compact) Japanese garden. 

Today was very much a bonding between Western and Japanese Wedding ceremonies... as well as the bonding between lovers. Husband and wife....otto to tsuma.

For love. Forever.