To think it is four years
since our stay in Cats Abbey for the 2015 World Cup is just staggering. However,
yet another 18 strong mob opted for more adventure with some old core members and
some new. The start was in Sapporo the capital of Japan’s Northern island of Hokkaido.
A completely different culture but we soon realised that there are some world wide
core values such as beer. The Sapporo brewery (our first visit) produces a
great “Classic” lager.
The outside view, (unmistakably a brewery) could be anywhere
(well if you change the signage).
A thirst is almost always followed by hunger pangs, not that
we needed reminding as with Baeddan unless he is asleep, he is hungry. He also
could not complain about the cooking as, with hot plates, he was responsible.
After the brewery we were tempted by an “ice cream factory”.
However, this turned out to be a bit of a con as it was just an ice cream store
albeit in a quite large shopping centre with magnificent arched roof. Presumably
a factory in times past.
After a bit of leg work we found a great restaurant for the
team’s first meeting. This was an all you could eat affair which immediately
got the boy’s approval. This time we cooked the meat and vegetables in a soup –
but first a lesson.
A pretty studious bunch – must be all those teachers…..
Well fed and with a good nights sleep it was off to the
game. Sapporo Dome is an enormous covered affair. The whole pitch gets wheeled
in and out to suit whatever sport is being hosted. Behind the gang is a large concrete
slab that supports the grassed area so it can grow and be maintained.
Some of our motley mob anticipating the game. Whoever classifies those Hawaiian shirts
as fashion needs some education. Mind you they do yell out "look at me, look at me!"
The
first match was against Fiji who have their own version of the Hakka.
The match was a close affair during the first half, however,
fitness and structure prevailed with a 39-21 win.
We had decided to explore some of the National Parks in Hokkaido and headed SW to Hakadate. En-route we passed several volcanoes and decided this one warranted closer inspection. It is Mount Komagatake in the Onuma Quasi National Park. It
seemed to be crying out to be climbed (underpinned by some of our more
energetic youth pleading to undertake the challenge).
The team elders were determined not to lose face (important in this part of the world). We look remarkably relaxed
on the rim of the Caldera. Relieved may be a better description given we were at some 1113 metres with the trail-head 500
metres lower and 2 kms further away. A 1 in 5 grade certainly got the knees
trembling. You will notice how quiet it is here – the children were already
half way back down at this stage.
On our drive back to base there was an unusual road sign warning of foxes. After 3 foxes in 3 kms its pertinence became apparent.
A more relaxed following day
was required and we visited Goryokaku fort. This was started in 1857 and completed
7 years later. It is laid out as a 5 pointed star with moats all around but
only one Ravelin as funds ran out before the last four were constructed. The
centre piece of the city was the magistrates court and here are some likely
looking candidates queuing to find their fate.
Inside the outer walls was a large flat area interspersed
with a variety of embankment walls so that repelling intruders could continue if
the first line was breached.
Some of the trees and vines were very old. This was the
start of Autumn and some trees were giving a hint of the colour planned for later
in the month.
Much of this area is National
Parks and our last base of Chitose was very close to Shikotsouko Lake. The road
hugged the lake edge and had many chutes over it to shed snow accumulated
in the adjoining water courses. Fishing, even for these amateurs, seemed to a
successful past time with several live fish housed in buckets.
Mount Eniwa currently has limited lake frontage but also had
a constant head of steam which suggested that it was in a state of readiness to
extend its frontage at any time.
With that thought it was time to ship out of Hokkaido so we opted for an overnight (and new) ferry down to Hachinohe on the main island. A
very comfortable way to travel as we opted for two cabins with bunk beds rather than a large shared
sleeping room with mats and futons!
After an unimaginably calm crossing we awoke to a beautiful sunny morning where it became apparent why Japan’s unemployment is so low at
2.45%. Many manual tasks seemed to have far more participants than would be
engaged elsewhere. A team of five to pull the mooring rope over to the quayside bollards
(where normally two suffice). Roadworks where there seem to be more people
waving warning flags than actually undertaking any work…. Still it means money is
moving around so the economy must be good….
Our final experience of the first week was a Shinkansen. I can’t
help feeling “Bullet” train is far more descriptive. The picture really
struggles to give an appreciation of the length of this snout. As for the ride
it was a superbly smooth way of travelling at some 300 kms/hr.
