Sendai

As you all know Japan experienced one of the largest earthquakes and tsunami last year on March 11.  The damage to the coastal area of Sendai and Fukushima was catastrophic.  In partnership with a local volunteer organization based in Sendai, Akita International University’s AIU Supporter Club organized a volunteer bus trip to the coastal area of Sendai, where the tsunami had a severe impact.  

The area of Tohoku is very grateful for all of the donations and support from around the world.  The donations have helped support the funding of organizations such as the one we worked with in Sendai.  Please continue to show your support.

Our work there was to contribute to the restoration of the farmable fields in the area.  The tsunami carried debris, sediment, and salt water into the fields destroying the farmable land, while the relief efforts have worked to remove the large debris, there is a need to sift through the remaining upper layers of soil for dangerous wreckage or meaningful items that have the possibility of reaching their owner.  One such item was found on a previous trip, a family picture, when an item is found that has the possibility of being given back to its owners the volunteer group of the area does its best to make it happen.  

We worked in line with shovels, tilling and digging picking out broken pieces of pottery, glass, wood, metal, and roof tiles.  All pieces of the once thriving community that had stood in the area.

Lunch break came, and I walked.  The vast flatness of the area is stunning.  It is filled with the concrete foundations of thousands of homes.  Already grass, weeds, and trees have started to work their way through the soil and emptiness.  There are very few buildings that were left standing, save for a  bent and twisted gas station with a steal frame, and a large concrete building, perhaps a school.  The tsunami destroyed the houses and livelihoods of thousands of people in the area and the magnitude of the wave is truly unimaginable.

I sat to rest near the foundation of a home and noticed two sake cups half buried in the dirt that had been caught at the corner of the foundation.  Remarkably the cups had remained whole.  They seemed to represent the spirit of the Tohoku area, the spirit of Japan.  After the disaster of March 11 Japan has emerged scathed, but whole, in the process of rebuilding, working together to revitalize and rebuild Tohoku.

We all pray for Japan. 

A Trip To Hokkaido

Kakunodate, Akita Japan

Spring has arrived in Akita.  The rice fields have been flooded and are ready for planting, sakura have blossomed, and sansai (mountain vegetables) are in season.  The warm weather has been wonderful and over the Golden Week (A week of holidays that most people get off in Japan) I headed to the northern most island of Japan, Hokkaido.  I went by ferry with several friends to the city of Sapporo.  Hokkaido is known for its history and culture of the Ainu people (the indigenous people of Hokkaido, History of the Ainu), wealth of nature, national parks, mountains, bears, and delicious seafood.  Sapporo is home to several different beer breweries including of course the Sapporo Beer Brewery and Asahi Brewery.

Our journey started on the ferry that goes from Akita to Tomakomai.  After arriving in Tomakomai, a city on the east side of the island, we went by bus to Sapporo.  Sapporo is famous for its seafood and sashimi. Below I have included some pictures of the trip with descriptions of each one.

On our first night we went out to eat some of the acclaimed seafood.  My personal favorite was the raw ウニ or sea urchin, which was quite delicious!  In fact the place we found had a very cool sumo theme and the food was so good we decided to eat there twice!

Outside of Sapporo is a town by the name of Otaru where there is an old canal and historic district as well as various seafood stands and restaurants.  We walked the historic district which included an old steam clock!  Afterwards of we had lunch at an old warehouse on the canal.  We also met a local traveler and received some great advice on places to go in the area!

At one of the seafood shops I bought some squid for about a two dollars and enjoyed a fresh sashimi lunch!

After visiting a historic steam clock in the city.  Our next stop in Otaru was another local warehouse which has since its original use as a storage building been converted to a building with restaurants and local shops.  It was here that I had an encounter with a long-time friend of mine.

 After a day trip to Otaru, we returned to Sapporo to eat some of the famous Genghis Khan grilled lamb.  It is cooked over coals with vegetables, which is then dipped in a light sauce before savoring the flavor!  We ordered a couple plates of lamb and started cooking and eating, though, Genghis Khan did not make an appearance.  We ate at a little place that had room for only a handful of customers at a time, but as is often the case, little shops are often the best places to start one's night and talk with the local people.

The following day we headed to Maruyama park.  The weather was beautiful and our timing was perfect as the sakura were in full bloom.  Sakura blossoms only last for a few days and depending on where the trees are, elevation, weather, and the like they bloom at different times.  During that period parks and river ways are filled with picnics, barbeque, and sake as everyone has come to hanami 花見 (watch the flowers).  The flowers were vividly colorful and when we returned to the hotel that evening the local news was broadcasting a segment on the park.

Before leaving Maruyama park we headed up the trail on Maruyama to gain a breathtaking view of the surrounding area as well as enjoy the sunny weather and fresh air.

Each night in Sapporo we often headed to Susukino station to enjoy the nightlife of the city.  We stopped in at a local 居酒屋 and had a good time laughing and sharing our adventures of the day.  Afterwards we headed out to walk the town and enjoy the night.

Hokkaido's volcanoes, mountains, green pastures, seafood, people, and seaside cities make for trip that that could last weeks, while only there for a few days, it was a great time and I am looking forward to returning sometime soon.

ジェフより

Spring Break Part 2

Next on my journey was Kyushu!  I boarded the train with two of my traveling companions and we headed toward the city of Beppu located in Oita prefecture.  The area is famous for the geothermal activity there which has created an onsen mecca.  Beppu has a total of nine geothermal hotspots which create the many hot springs in the area and when one looks over the city it is covered with steam coming from the local onsen.

While there we entered several different onsens together, but perhaps the most memorable was the Beppu Onsen where one can enter into a natural mud bath.  It was quite the experience.  We were also sure to try the popular steam vent cooked eggs which could be found at any of the local hot springs.  The  sunny weather made for an enjoyable walk from onsen to onsen, however, the pleasant feature of hot springs is that even when the weather is cold, they make for a great destination, so be sure to make a trip to Beppu for a relaxing time.

From Beppu I boarded a train and headed to Hakata, in Fukuoka Prefecture.  Arriving at night the amount of time we spent in Fukuoka was limited, however, the area is famous for its ramen so we found a local street ramen stand, which are now quite rare, and decided to sit and eat.  The stand itself sat maybe a total of ten people and upon entering one could tell it was a local hotspot and the six others who were already eating there soon introduced themselves, all local businessmen.  The conversation started and before we knew it we were all laughing and taking pictures with the cook.  The atmosphere of the ramen stand was one that has remained unchanged for hundreds of years, it is a place where people come to talk, eat, and laugh late into the night.

From Hakata we headed to Hiroshima by train.  On the way we stopped at Iwakuni in Yamaguchi prefecture, in order to see the famous Kintai Bridge.  The bridge was first built in 1673 and serves crossing over the Nishiki River.  The bridge is famous for its unique style of five arching sections created using exquisite joint work and craftmanship.  High above the bridge Iwayuki Castle, built in 1601 by Kikkawa Hiroie, stands atop Mt. Yokoyama and overlooks the river valley.  After the construction of the castle was completed, bridges had continually been built and washed away by the river when it flooded.  As a result the unique design of the Kintai Bridge was developed and built in 1673 by the third lord of the area Kikkawa Horoyoshi.   It is supported by four stone pillars supporting the central sections and a wooden pier on each side connecting to the bank.  

The bridge, while thought to be indestructible by flood, was washed away the next year.  It was then rebuilt once more after redesigning the stone piers for strength and creating a tax that would support the maintenance of the bridge, consisting of a reconstruction of the sections on intervals of 20 and 40 years. Over the course of over 200 years its construction used only wood joints, mortise and tendon joints to be specific, and metal belts to hold the bridge sections together.  This maintenance continued until WWII.  

In 1950 a typhoon that struck the area washed the bridge away, despite efforts made by local citizens during the typhoon to protect the bridge from the rising water.  In 1951 the reconstruction of the bridge was started and follows the original design, however nails were used in order to increase the bridge's strength.  The structure was then restored in 2001 and 2004.  The bridge spans 175 meters and is approximately 5 meters in width.  It is an amazing sight to see and walking across it while viewing the beautiful surrounding mountains makes a trip here well worth while.

After arriving in Hiroshima we took a ferry to the island of Itsukushima, also known as Miyajima, where the famous Itsukushima Shrine appears to be floating in the water.  The shrine was first built in 593 and then rebuilt in 1168, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996.  It is most famous for its red tori, or gate, that stands out in the water in front of the island shrine.  The island's natural state has been preserved as there are few towns that have been built on the island, aside from the private homes of local residents that live nearby the shrine.  The island is famous for its forests of maple trees and the vibrant colors of the changing leaves in the fall.  As the island is considered sacred residents work hard to preserve the nature surrounding the shrine, timber cutting is prohibited and while walking the shrine one can see deer roaming freely in the area.  The history itself of the island is incredible.  Perhaps a familiar story is that of the Battle of Miyajima, a historic illustration of military tactics.  The historic story of the battle can be read here: Battle of Miyajima.  For a detailed history, and more pictures of the shrine please visit the following link: Miyajima Information.

After spending the night in the city we got up and headed to the town of Matsuyama on the island of Shikoku.  Matsuyama is a town that has a variety of things to see, including the Matsuyama Castle and famous Dogo Onsen.  

Dogo Onsen is a popular tourist attraction for many Japanese as it is one of the oldest onsen in Japan.  The hot springs at Dogo have history of nearly 1000 years and includes visits from famous haiku poets.  The current building was built in 1894 and includes what a building called the Yushinden, built in 1899 that houses the bath for the Imperial family.  The town's quite atmosphere makes for a relaxing stay.  Wandering the nearby market one can see many guests dressed in their shikata coming from the onsen to buy some of the renown mikan, or madarin oranges, of the area.

The following day I headed toward Matsuyama Castle perched high above the town and surrounded by immense stone walls.  Matsuyama Castle was originally built in 1603 by Kato Yoshiaki and originally included 5 stories and 5 roofs.  However, in 1784 the main hall was struck by lightning and destroyed by the fire.  The castle's reconstruction began in 1820 and was finished in 1854.  The castle was damaged during World War II, and was repaired again.  The castle itself today is still an impressive sight to behold, standing on top of the hill over looking the surrounding city valley.  The castle's best view is seen from a bird's eye, so if you are interested in seeing the immense scale of the castle grounds check out the following link: Matsuyamajo Information.

On our way out to head to one more stop at the Sakamoto Ryoma Museum near Hirome we stopped to eat some sushi, and it is here is where I will end my account of my Spring Break journey.

Below is a photographed account of me eating, for my first time, "涙すし", that is teardrop sushi, or to be exact, a sushi roll compromised of nearly all wasabee.

It was an unforgettable trip filled with friends, new experiences, learning, and enough servings of wasabee for the rest of the year.   

ジェフより