Category Archives: Travel

JAPAN DIARY

April 18, 2024 Irihapeti Leave a comment

十七 Overnight trip to Otaru – Part 1

Map of Hokkaido, showing Asahikawa near the centre, and Otaru (left edge, roughly in line with the ‘H’ of Hokkaido).

I read somewhere that Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, is sometimes described as being shaped like an ‘ishikari nabe’, a type of hot pot dish. This comparison is made due to Hokkaido’s distinctive shape resembling a pot or bowl, with the Ishikari River running through its central region.

Travelling across the ishikari nabe

On April 3rd, my daughter (Amiria) and I went on a road trip from Asahikawa to Otaru, which happens to be sister city to Dunedin, New Zealand, a city I lived in for 25 years. Otaru is a port city, and is situated adjacent to the Sea of Japan, in the northern Shiribeshi Subprefecture. It was originally an Ainu settlement, and the name , ‘Otaru’, is of Ainu origin, possibly meaning, ‘River running through the sandy beach’.

A derelict building in Shukutsu, near the base of the lighthouse promontory.

Although I’ve visited Hokkaido many times, this was the first time I’d actually been as far as the coast (in any direction), and I was looking forward to the experience. Hence, I took numerous photos, and I apologise if this post has a greater emphasis on images than on content.

Heading south

We drove the 170 km journey south-west via Sapporo, following the tolled highway. Around us the countryside gradually showed signs of the Spring thaw, although every so often, even as far south as Sapporo, we came across fields of thick white snow. As we drove I had the luxury of being the passenger so could gaze out at the scenery and I was once again reminded of how the light in the northern hemisphere is quite different from that of New Zealand, where even the distant features are sharply defined. The Hokkaido hills and mountains appeared as if through a hazy blueish filter, with the effect, i.e., the overall ‘blue-greyedness’, becoming more intense as the distance increased. I recalled noticing the same phenomenon over 20 years ago, while driving on long stretches of road from Nebraska in the mid west of the USA, down through Colorado.

The Venice of the ‘wild north’

Once we’d passed through the outskirts of Sapporo, we headed northwest to Otaru, leaving behind the flat plains of the central region and beginning to follow the jagged contours of the hills. There was a briny feel to the air.

Driving into Otaru–quiet on a Wednesday afternoon in early Spring.

At the somewhat subdued time of year that is winter turning to spring, and when the landscape is neither deeply snowy, nor lush and summery, the small towns and cities can look dull and uninteresting, and yet as we drove into the city, my first impressions of Otaru were of a pleasant kind of town. The air felt open and clean, and there were seagulls squawking, rather than crows. I caught glimpses of small craft bobbing close to shore, and even the steep hills rising up behind the city area had a reassuring feel–no doubt due to having grown up in Wellington, and later living all that time in Dunedin. I love a hilly city.

Otaru has a rich history, and perhaps one day I’ll visit again with more time on my hands. I’ve seen the city referred to as the ‘Venice of the wild north’, due to its famous canal, its thriving glass blowing industry and also its picturesque 19th century European-style buildings.

Hiyoriyama lighthouse, Otaru, on a small promontory facing across the Sea of Japan to Russia.

The harbour is situated at the bottom edge of a sweeping upward curve that travels a little to the right, and then stretches up and around to the left, toward Russia. Looking from the sea’s edge toward that curve, you can just make out wind turbines in the distance.

Shukutsu

Shukutusu: View from near the Hiyoriyama lighthouse towards the bay where the city of Otaru is situated.

The Shukutsu area, which encompasses a north-east facing promotory, the Hiyoriyama lighthouse, and an aquarium, originally housed the wealthy tycoons who controlled the herring industry. They built huge mansions where they lived alongside their seasonal workers. Interestingly, much of the herring caught off the Hokkaido coast was destined to be turned into fertiliser, rather than eaten. Over-fishing led to the decline of fish stocks and the herring businesses collapsed in the 1950s.

This collapse, as well as affecting the lives of countless fishing folk, also had a direct effect on the city’s glass-blowers, who, up to that point, made the glass buoys used by the fishing boats. Hokkaido was slow to adopt electrification, so they were already called on to produce glass oil lamps for the outlying areas, and they then turned their skills to producing more delicate items. Otaru is now known for its beautiful glass objects.

Because we basically only had one afternoon to see the local sights (we had to get away early the following day), we decided to (1) visit the city’s two main look-outs, (2) try to get down to the water’s edge so that I could touch the ocean, (3) check in to the hotel, (4) take a walk along the canal, (5) go out for dinner (we’d had the good sense to book a table at a well-reviewed Izakaya), (6) find a place for dessert, (7) walk back to the hotel via the canal, (8) soak in an onsen, and (9) call it a night. I personally felt I’d be quite satisfied if we managed to achieve even 2/3 of the items on the list.

Hiyoriyama lighthouse

So, first of all we drove up to get a closer look at the Hiyoriyama lighthouse, a noticeable red and white striped structure perched at the tip of the promontory.

The views were incredible, and for early April in Hokkaido, it was surprisingly mild and calm; I was only wearing a t-shirt and didn’t feel remotely cold.

Down to the water’s edge

We then walked down the gravel road we’d just driven up to investigate the sea, as this seemed like the only chance we might have to achieve this. In Japan, it’s not the custom to just ‘park on the street’, the way it is in New Zealand, and we could see no other place close to the water where we could leave the car while we paid the ocean a quick visit. In fact, it’s not only ‘not the custom’, there are literally no parking spaces on the sides of the roads.

When we drew closer we found that the only area with access to the water was closed off with ropes and ‘no entry’ signs, but there was no-one around so we ducked under the ropes, walked as briskly as we dared across a flat, dusty area, and then scrambled down a steep bank of large stones to the water’s edge. Once we were out of sight of the road, Amiria sat on the rocks while I scrummaged around for interesting things to photograph. The water was crystal clear, but the stones were steep and difficult to balance on, and the small waves kept washing in, so all I saw were a few sea snails, until some blue fish appeared–they seemed as curious about us as we were about them.

One of the ‘interested’ fish that was swimming around near the water’s edge.

The sun was getting lower and we were reminded to get a wriggle on, so we made our way back to the car, then drove to the Cape Observatory for a different view. And of course I took some more photos!

[to be continued]

View from the promontory in Shukutsu–a solitary fisherman down below on the rocks

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JAPAN DIARY

April 13, 2024 Irihapeti Leave a comment

十六 – Release of salmon fry into the Ishikari River

Not for the thinly jacketed

It was bitterly cold on the day that I accompanied my daughter and two grandchildren to observe the release of salmon fry into the Ishikari River, on a stretch of land adjacent to the Asahibashi bridge.

In Spring each year, the local Ainu perform a ceremony to celebrate the life cycle of the salmon, after which, baby salmon are released into the Ishikari River. This year, this event was celebrated on 31 March, and in our case, the children from local youchien (kindergartens) had been involved in raising the salmon fry from eggs.

What I hadn’t expected was how cold it would be. Down by the edge of the river, the wind was searing along the snowy foreshore like a razor-edged reaper. It scoured the shoreline, tossing the carefully spoken ceremonial chants into the wind. It was difficult to stand still in a respectful manner, especially for the small children, some of whom were crying miserably.

Local Ainu on the snow-covered foreshore of the Ishikari River.

Part of the ceremony involved the lighting of a small fire.

The small cluster of observers and particpants comprised mainly of the parents and children, a few interested locals, some Asahikawa officials, and the Ainu themselves, who were seated on woven mats between the spectators and the bridge. There was no shelter.

The children had brought various containers in which to carry the baby fish.

The baby salmon were energetically swimming around in a large pastic tub. We stood in a straggly line, clumping together in small groups to keep warm. Once the ceremonial side of things was completed, and the officials had made their speeches, we stood with our backs to the wind, and made our way to the tub, where each child was given a scoop of babies into their containers. These were gripped tightly in their small mittened hands.

After this we slowly walked down to the river’s edge, with many stops and starts. The track through the snow had been roughly dug, and was a little steep and slippery, so only a small number of children and parents at a time were allowed to carry their precious cargo to the water.

Releasing the tiny fish into the bitterly cold water of the Ishikari River.

At the water’s edge the children first had to dip their containers into the icy river water so that the fish could acclimatise to their new environment. Then they held the cups partly submerged until the tiny fish swam out. Baby salmon released this year will make their way to the sea, a journey that will take about a month, and can be fraught with danger. Those that survive, will return to the river in three to five years’ time, to lay their eggs and restart the life cycle.

After we’d said goodbye to our fish, we made the way back through the snow to the car. The line was long and meandered like a mottled snake, and I was extremely grateful that we’d been standing near the front and were getting away first.

The wild salmon of Hokkaido

I have read that in in the past, salmon was a critically important food source for Ainu, and that they took great care not to exploit this resource, only catching the number they needed for their own survival. The fish were caught either directly prior to spawning for immediate consumption (fat salmon filled with eggs are unsuitable for preserving), or later on, at which time the fish would be dried.

As we left, I looked back and saw that the local Ainu representatives were packing up their mats and ceremonial gear, and I was relieved to see them pulling on warm jackets.

Traditional Ainu method for drying salmon

‘Salmon dried in the cold wind’, Ainu Museum in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, Japan, December 2008. (Wikipedia Attribution-ShareAlike 2.1 Japan licence)

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JAPAN DIARY

April 3, 2024 Irihapeti Leave a comment

十五 – The Ainu of Asahikawa

Ainu carving, Kawamura Maneto Aynu Museum, Asahikawa.

Last week, on a crisp snowy day, I visited the recently relocated Kawamura Kaneto Aynu Museum, which is the repository of cultural artifacts and information relating to the Ainu people of the Asahikawa area.

The Ainu are considered to be the native people of Hokkaido, southern Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands. They have lived in Yaunmosir (Hokkaido) for more than 15,000 years, and are the major ethnic minority in the Japanese islands, with a distinct and unique culture and way of life.

In the 18th century, there were estimated to be 80,000 Ainu across the three areas, but by 1868, due to factors such as forced assimilation, family separation and the effects of smallpox, this number had declined to around 15,000 in Hokkaido, 2,000 in Sakhalin, and as few as 100 in the Kuril Islands. While official figures estimate the current number of Ainu to be 25,000, unofficial estimates suggest that the total is more likely to be around 200,000 as due to their almost total assimilation into Japanese society, many are unaware of their ancestry.

Immediately prior to the Meiji era (late 19th century) Japan’s northern-most island was known to its southern neighbours as Ezochi, and other than some small Japanese settlements on the southern coastline, was largely ignored. Up until this time, the Yaunmosir Ainu lived peacefully, in harmony with nature. As recorded by the early 20th century Ainu transcriber and translater, Yukie Chiri, in her book, Selected Stories of the Ainu Gods, “The people of Yaunmosir, the Ainu, honoured the natural world as kamuy (gods) and lived abundant lifestyles filled with prayers, singing and dancing: their lives were bright and busy, mixed with laughter, tears, anger and joy”.

In 1869, however, Japan was concerned about a possible Russian invasion, and in order to prepare their northern defenses, they annexed the entire island, at which time the name was changed to Hokkaido. Before long, ethnic Japanese began arriving in the Asahikawa area. The Meiji government had a colonisation policy of land reclamation, with total disregard for Ainu concepts of land ownership. In fact, at that time, many Japanese settlers regarded the Ainu as, “inhuman and the inferior descendants of dogs”.

Sadly, the Ainu story from this point, has unfolded in much the same way as that of other marginalised peoples, where they have suffered the loss of their autonomy, lands, and traditional ways of life. They have endured forcible relocation from their kotan (villages) and have been prohibited from fishing, hunting, and speaking their own native language.

Despite these terrible losses, the Ainu people have survived, and from what I have read and been told, there is a small but strong community in Asahikawa and the surrounding area. The snowy field may be vast and filled with obstacles, but the Kawamura Kaneto Aynu Museum is a priceless seed sown very deeply at its heart.

Museum history

A traditional Ainu dwelling in the grounds of the Kawamura Kaneto Aynu Museum, Asahikawa.

Around the time that Hokkaido was annexed and the Seventh Division of the Japanese Army was established in Asahikawa, an influx of ethnic Japanese visitors came to Chikabumi Kotan, where the local Ainu people then lived. To help the newcomers understand Ainu heritage, their leader, Kawamura Itakishiroma, constructed a traditional Ainu dwelling separate from his own, which he used as a venue to explain the Ainu culture. And thus, the museum was born.

From this time, the role of director of the museum was passed down within the Kawamura family, and they are still strongly involved with preserving Ainu knowledge. Similar to Māori, although on a much smaller scale, the Ainu of Hokkaido, are gradually restoring their mana through the recreation and enactment of traditional ceremonies, and by sharing traditional customs and traditions. The museum as a living tribute to the Ainu way of life is integral to this process.

On the day we visited, we were the only visitors–in fact, the only other person I saw was the woman who collected my 800 yen entry fee. The modest collection of beautiful artefacts provided much food for thought. In many ways, the museum itself feels somewhat dispossessed, or perhaps, displaced, situated as it is, right in the middle of an impersonal cross-hatch of suburban streets. The imagery evoked by the exceptional carvings of bears, fish and birds suggests rugged mountains, fertile plains, thick forests and sparkling streams–memories trapped within the static forms.

I was hoping to see some photographs from the old days, especially of Ainu women with their traditional facial tattoos, or of the children of the times, but there were few on display. Some images can be found online, of course (and the ones I’ve used here are open domain images from Wikimedia Commons). We all know that the early anthropologists were naturally curious about the ways of life of indigenous people, and that they rarely took the feelings of their subjects into account. The brochure I picked up at the museum also had some interesting photographs.

Some more about traditional Ainu culture

The division of roles

‘The Ainu Family’, a photograph taken during the 1904 World’s Fair, and currently held in the Missouri History Museum. (Wikimedia Commons)

Ainu women had a very hard life, or as the documentation in the Anyu museum puts it, their noses were kept to the grindstone. They gave birth to and raised their children, foraged for edible plants, produced everyday items, wove fabrics, gathered firewood, and occasionally, even carved wood. They didn’t waste a single material, and decorated everyday items with traditional patterns, which have been passed down from mother to daughter. These are often abstract designs that represent objects found in the natural world.

Ainu men engaged mainly in hunting, fishing, trading, and offering prayers to the deities. They were also required to protect their families and villages. The tradition for succession, was that eloquent orators who displayed courage and dignity, and excelled in dexterity, were selected by the people to be village chiefs; hereditary succession was forced on them after annexation.

Bears – Kamuy imoka, a gift from the gods

One of the many carvings of bears in the Kawamura Kaneto Aynu Museum, Asahikawa.

Hokkaido is home to the Ussuri Brown Bear, and these animals were (and are still) extremely important to the Ainu, for their fur, their meat and also because they are believed to be gods in human form–in fact, in the Ainu language there are over 80 words for bear. Kim-un kamuy (the god that is always in the mountains) is the word used most often. According to Ainu tradition, in the world of the gods, gods exist in the same form as humans, but when they visit the world of the humans, they take on the form of animals. People who had been visited by bears, therefore, were considered to be trusted by the gods.

In the older times, cubs born during hibernation were raised with care by human famililes. The mother of the household would breastfeed the bear cub and it would be raised until about two years old, as if it were their own child. Then on a cold winter’s day, when the temperature dropped to around -30 degrees, the little bear’s spirit would be ritually parted from its body, and the spirit would return to the world of the gods, where its ‘real, dear mother’ would be waiting for its return. The iyomante (ritual) would last for three days and three nights, during which the sad parting from the bear cub would be transformed into the power to overcome winter.

In the museum I think I saw more carvings of bears, than of any other creature.

Bear carvings, Kawamura Kaneto Aynu Museum, Asahikawa.

Facial tattooing

An Ainu woman displaying the traditional facial and forearm tattoos. Sourced from, “The Ainu and their Folkore”, (1901), page 21 (Wikimedia Commons)

Ainu women traditionally underwent facial tattooing, and to a lesser degree, arm and hand tattooing. Only women were tattooed, and only women were the tattooists, and this practice continued down the matrilineal line. Tattooing was prohibited by the Japanese at various times both before and after annexation, but it wasn’t until 1998 that the last fully tattooed Ainu women died. It is unsurprising that the practice took such a long time to fade out, as being tattooed was traditionally a prerequisite to marriage and to the afterlife.

When I first was shown photographs of an Ainu woman with the traditional tattoo around her lips I was fascinated. To my western, kiwi eyes, this looked so unusual–both alien, and yet, beautiful. If you are interested in reading more about the tradition, and also the different patterns and designs, Lars Krukak’s website, ‘Tattooing among Japan’s Ainu People’ is well worth a visit.

The past and what it means for the present

I suppose that life ‘goes on’; the sheer energy of birth and death has its own momentum. We can look back at the atrocities of the past and see how they are reflected in the terrible things that are still happening, right now, this very moment as I write.

I think about loss of culture and how this can impact future generations, and of the way that the history of Ainu is so very similar to the history of Māori in my own country of Aotearoa. I think about the Middle East and feel dread about how today’s actions are affecting countless children, countless women, countless future generations.

I also like to think (hope?) that for every terrible thing we hear about, there is somewhere, some positive thing occurring, no matter how small the scale, that might be the first tiny seed of change. I wonder how many people have hoped or prayed for the same thing, only to be disappointed.

It does seem to me, however, that the Ainu haven’t given up. They are not merely looking back and dwelling on what they cannot change; they are making their way forward and picking up the pieces of their history. Rebuilding and relearning.

Ainu women in the 1930s (Showa era). Kawamu Kawamura Kaneto Aynu Museum brochure.

Sources

Ainu People, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ainu_people

Hokkaido, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkaido

Kawamura Kaneto Ayno Museum, (visited by author, 23 March 2024)

https://www.larskrutak.com/tattooing-among-japans-ainu-people/

Wikimedia Commons (photographs with no licence restrictions)

Yukie Chiri, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukie_Chiri

Travel, Writing

JAPAN DIARY

March 25, 2024 Irihapeti Leave a comment

十四 – Hokkaido in Spring

Snow cloaking trees on the side of the road. On the bus from Asahikawa Airport to the Railway Station.

I’m back in Asahikawa (Yay!), and it feels really good. This is my eighth trip to Japan, and I’m not sure if I’ll make this trip again due to various external factors, so I intend to make the most of this visit.

Napier to Asahikawa

To get to Japan, I first took an afternoon flight from Napier. I had a front seat and was wedged in beside the guy in the above photo. I couldn’t resist capturing the view.

After flying in from Auckland to Narita Airport, Tokyo, I was able to take a direct flight to Asahikawa, rather than first having to transfer to Haneda Airport. This was thanks to a new route opened up by Jetstar Japan. Narita and Haneda airports are quite a distance apart and to travel from one to the other usually requires a couple of train trips, or catching the Limousine Bus. Having the option of a direct flight from Narita was too tempting to ignore. I was a little worried, however, about my timings. If my Air New Zealand flight ran late, and if Passport Control and Customs at Narita were especially busy, then I would be cutting it fine to get to Terminal 3 in time for my Jetstar flight. As it turned out, I had plenty of time as we arrived early, and the airport wasn’t busy.

The first view of the southern edge of Hokkaido, from the window of my plane.

The flight to Asahikawa took just under two hours and was uneventful. I had purchased a premium booking with a ‘meal’, luggage of up to 30 kg (way more than I needed), and the option to change flights at short notice. The ‘meal’ turned out to be a hot drink and a piece of apple-filled pastry in a celophane wrapper. If I had to rate it, I’d say it was ‘just okay’, but I didn’t really mind, I was just pleased to have connected successfully. The skies were clear and I was afforded a clear view of the spectacular mountainous scenery, especially as we drew closer to Asahikawa.

View of the mountainous terrain as we flew closer to Asahikawa.

Items that are hard to find at home

My main purpose for visiting Japan is to catch up with my daughter, her husband, and my two grandchildren. But I while I’m here I also intend to purchase some bits and pieces that I’ve come across on previous visits, and that I’ve wished I’d purchased at the time.

Mini vacuum cleaner – it’s only 6 cm in diameter!

Japan does particularly well at producing useful items that you didn’t know you wanted until you saw them. I’ve spent a great deal of time in New Zealand looking for exactly the right kitchen or bathroom item, to no avail, and often when I do find a suitable product, it’s either ‘not quite right’, or its seriously over-priced.

If you were to look at my list, you’d see a bunch of trivial items: a very small digital kitchen scales (you’ll think I’m weird, but sometimes I’d like to know how much hot chips I’m eating, or just how heavy a date scone is); a cute little mini vacuum cleaner to clean up crumbs (or other small debris) off a table; a second super light-weight feather quilt for those summer nights in New Zealand that are too hot to be covered with anything, but when you just want ‘something’–I purchased one last year and it was perfect; a set or two of versatile shelving and/or containers that can either be stuck, or screwed to tiles or a wall, or attached to a magnetic surface.

These 100% cotton kitchen towels are not only beautifully made, they are very functional.

I always look for products that have been made in Japan, but many everyday items, while of Japanese design, are produced elsewhere, most commonly in China, or Korea. Japan produces its own premium items, of course, and for the visitor, these are definitely worth purchasing when you can, due to their superior quality and thoughtful design. Linen, paper products, writing materials, ceramic items, knives, glassware, cakes and candies, technological wares… the list goes on and on.

Snowy roads and pathways

Returning home after dinner at Jiji and Baba’s.

There’s a lot of snow lying around in Asahikawa compared with the last couple of years that I’ve visited. And it’s colder, according to the weather app. I’m glad. I would feel short-changed if there was no snow. It’s very beautiful, even with the heaps of snow discoloured by the muck on the sides of the road. I can ignore those and just focus on the pure white mountains piled up everywhere else.

Running in the snow. The banked up snow will reveal a flat, grass playing field, when melted.

I know that the snow will disappear quickly, with every day that climbs above zero degrees, but so far, the gardens are completely dormant, the plants still sleeping under their white blankets. Out of curiosity I visited the garden section of DCM Homac, a hardware / DIY chain, to see what they were selling, but as far as outside plants were concerned, all I saw were trees—flowering cherries, dogwoods and magnolias. No perennials yet. And not much else, either.

As I grow older, my body has begun to display issues associated with the wear and tear of a lifetime. I currently have a problem with my right knee (synovial chondromatosis); it isn’t such a big deal, but it does mean that my knee becomes quite painful when walking, or more so if I have to walk up or down stairs, or up or downhill, and this will affect how much I can get out and about. If you’ve followed my blogs in the past, you’ll be aware that I usually like to take long walks—this time I fear my walks will be much shorter, but I’m determined to get out as much as I can. I’m seriously looking forward to the first signs of Spring.

Spring, donuts and nostaglia

A few days ago it was Vernal Equinox Day 春分の日(Shunbun no Hi), a public holiday to mark the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring. This day was originally an event relating to the Shinto religion, but after WWII, and in line with Japan’s post-war constitution, it was repackaged to separate religion and state, becoming a public holiday in 1948. The main thing I noticed were the kids off school, and more people out and about.

Sakura ‘half bloom’ donut – a delicately flavoured delight.

Yesterday I went out to look for a birthday present and ended up visiting Mister Donut for lunch. I prefer not to eat too many sweet cakes, so chose a ホットドッグ (hottodoggu) to go with my Sakudo blooming donut (Yes, really healthy!) Japan loves seasonal themes when it comes to popular food, and sakura is the flavour for Spring. I couldn’t resist the donut as I was curious about the flavour. I wasn’t disappointed; it was lightly sweet with a delicate floral quality. Perhaps it did taste like the fragrance of sakura. I certainly remember as a child, the sweet smell of the snowy white blossom on our Mt Fuji cherry (Prunus serrultat ‘Shirotae’).

While I was munching away, Michael Jackson’s 1972 song, ‘Ben’, started playing in the background. I used to love that song. What a flashback! I would have been 15, and I still know the words off by heart. It reminded me of riding my bike with my neighbour Lynette, listening to pop songs and being the age where my whole life stretched out ahead of me.

The same path, yesterday (4 days later). The snow isn’t in any hurry to melt.

South Head to Napier

Once I’m back in New Zealand, I will no longer be writing from South Head. In February, we made the move to Napier, in the Hawke’s Bay. So, I’ll be writing about quite different things and posting photographs of quite different scenery.

One of the reasons for the move was the amount of physical work on our South Head property. We have been finding it difficult to keep up. Our new house is a charming cottage, built in 1875. It is fashioned entirely from kauri (Agathis australis) a golden timber, native to New Zealand. The property has a much smaller land area and a much more manageable garden. We should also experience a few frosts, so I’ll be able to grow flowers that couldn’t cope with the heat of up north.

A completely different way of life. City dwelling versus country.

The joys of air travel

There’s not much privacy when you’re squashed into a small seat beside a larger person.

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Japan Diary

July 21, 2023 Irihapeti Leave a comment

Juu San – Return to Nihon

Approaching Narita Airport. Jane Percival 20/07/2023

I travelled to Japan again this year, across the mighty Te Moana-nui-a-kiwa and back, and have been home for several weeks. As usual when I travel, I fully intended to write about my experiences while I was there, but somehow the time just slipped away. When you are out of your normal routines, all the ‘other country’ experiences take up your whole time, and I also had editing work to keep me occupied. My current plan is to catch up on my Japan writing in small spurts. We’ll see how far I get… the good intentions are there, anyway.

I left New Zealand towards the end of March and flew with Air New Zealand to Hong Kong (a nine-hour stop over that saved me a few hundred dollars), and from Hong Kong to Narita, with Cathay Pacific. I landed at Narita early on a Friday morning, jumped on a Limousine Bus to Haneda, and then took an early afternoon Japan Airlines flight north to Asahikawa. This was a much better method of travelling than booking a ticket from New Zealand to Sapporo, and then taking the train up country. On previous trips I’ve twice had something go wrong and missed my connecting flight to Sapporo–this way I had allowed plenty of time between landing at Narita and my next flight.

Hong Kong Stopover

My stopover in Hong Kong had the potential to be really tedious, but I had a copy editing job to work on, and the airport is well set-up with work spaces, so I was able to complete two-thirds while I was bailed up there. Because I’d arrived so late in the day, there wasn’t much in the way of food available. I wandered around for an hour or so, before finally finding a Starbucks. I was thinking of coffee, but couldn’t resist a Matcha Latte, which cost me HKD48.00. I had no idea what the conversion rate was, but was sure it was going to be bad. As it turned out, it equated to about NZD 9.50. An expensive drink, but I really enjoyed it. And was able to use the cup for water from the drinking water fountains. So I was happy. I’d had so much food on the previous flight–‘dinner’ and ‘breakfast’, and a range of snacks, that I was barely hungry.

Glad to be back on familiar soil

Japanese konbini fare–green tea & sandwiches, and a ham & cheese pastry

I was tired but in good spirits when I boarded my Cathay Pacific flight to Narita, but the food offered inflight was horrible. A bun made from white flour, and a sugary cake. Dry and textureless. And a small pottle of very sweet yoghurt. I think there might also have been a very small, limp, salad. By the time I’d landed in Narita, I was keen to find a konbini or a vending machine.

Asahikawa

Flying in to Asahikawa was a bit hairy. There had been some rattles and shakes as we passed over the hills and mountains surrounding the city and this didn’t improve as we drew closer. I think I’ve written before that I’m not that keen on air travel, and when the plane suddenly decided to try again for landing, accelerating up out of the slow descent just when I thought we were almost there, I did my best to relax. We touched down safely on the second go.

Image of a tiny Gachapon banana. — The tiny Gachapon banana, it could even be peeled!

Once landed, and walking off the plane and into the airport, I was overcome with warm feelings. The kids are six and four now, old enough to be glad to see me, too, and it was lovely to be reunited with them and my daughter. They’d spent a few coins on a Gachapon, a Japanese ‘capsule’ toy that you purchase through a vending machine, and I was intrigued by the item they’d chosen this time. Tiny bananas, that were so realistic I had to lift one to my nose to smell it, to be sure it wasn’t a real banana, somehow shrunken down in size.

The drive from Asahikawa airport to Suehiro

On the drive to the city, there was more snow than I’d been expecting, as the weather prior to my arrival had (by local standards) been unusually mild. The car ride gave me the chance to relax and enjoy the scenery once again. It’s difficult to explain, but (and I guess it’s to do with having family there) when I arrive in Asahikawa it’s almost like I’m coming home. Perhaps it’s to do with the number of times I’ve been to the city. I first visited in 2017, and this was the fifth year, and the sixth visit. There are so many sights now that are familiar to me, and I miss some of them, even when I’m back in New Zealand. There are lots of differences, but also lots of things that are the same.

I’m always on the lookout for amusing signs, and spotted this one on the ride from the airport.

Belt sushi

Sushiro, Asahikawa – ‘fish and chips’, ebi tempura, and a strawberry parfait.

After I’d unpacked and settled in, we went out to Sushiro, a local conveyor belt sushi restaurant, for dinner. This visit was especially for my benefit. Enticing sushi items that glide past your booth on a conveyer belt cannot be considered healthy, but they are a lot of fun. The food selections are very tasty and good value for money, AND, there are few belt sushi restaurants in New Zealand, so I’d recommend then as a ‘must do’ for a NZ tourist. At least once. They are like a degustation menu in that you can order all kinds of tiny dishes, but there the similarity ends, as these restaurants are designed for families, and are therefore, inexpensive. The food is freshly cooked and tasty, and caters for many tastes. Not so good for vegans, or people who don’t like fish, but especially good if you like seafood, both raw and cooked. And you can even buy a small desert for about 120 yen. This equates to around $1.50 in New Zealand.

More to come.

Travel, Writing

JAPAN DIARY

April 26, 2022 Irihapeti Leave a comment

Jūni – Familiar and unfamiliar paths

Bare trees encircle the top of the steps to the Takasu Shrine.

Snow melt

Snowy footpaths were ‘normal’ four weeks ago. Now they are a distant memory.

Back on 18 March when I disembarked from my bus at Toyo Hotel, it was still wintry, with snow piled everywhere and people hurrying about their business, not keen to be outside in the chilly air any longer than necessary. After settling in, I’ve tried to keep up with a daily walk, not just for exercise (and to counteract the extra food I’m eating), but also to get a feel for my new surroundings. To begin with there was little sign of spring growth, and I often had to negotiate deep snow and slippery icy footpaths.

Some lumps of snow certainly take their time to melt.

Gradually the snow has become less and less and has for the most part completely melted.

Different views of the same waterway, taken about a month apart (23 March and 18 April).

Each neighbourhood has a small children’s park, but the swings and other equipment are often not freed up until long after the snow has melted.

First pleasures and small disappointments

What have I most enjoyed so far? Well, being reunited with my daughter, her husband and my two grandchildren after a long and uncertain two and a half years, would have to claim 1st place hands down. But after that I think that it’s just nice to be back. And of course I love the interesting items that can be purchased here, and the varieties of food. And because it’s Spring and I love gardening, it’s especially interesting to see which plants are coming up now that the snow has gone. I can barely keep up as they are they are forcing their way into the light and flowering at a much quicker rate than they would in a New Zealand October.

A popular game for my first several days was, “Where am I Grandma?”

What I’m disappointed with is the fact that even though I’ve been studying Japanese relatively steadily over the past few months, the things I’ve managed to learn are of little use in real life. My Japanese language is too slow and I lack confidence. My ears aren’t tuned in to the individual syllables and I still haven’t been able to learn katakana well enough. My hiragana is fine, but I’ve realised that you do really need to know katakana equally well if you are to read any of the instructions, menu descriptions and the various signs. I suspect that you can probably manage without Kanji to a certain extent… But as far as actually speaking the language, I’ve found that even the simple phrases that I’m really familiar with, the ones I know well, they just fly out of my head when I have the chance to use them.

A Kiwi in a strange land

I’m always on the look out for someone how might speak English, but of course one can’t assume that a gaijin speaks English.

Perhaps that heading should rather be, “A strange Kiwi in a new land”. I don’t usually post photos of myself but I think my expression probably captures what I look like when I’m out and about. Or it would if I wasn’t usually wearing a mask. I forgot about that!

My daughter tells me that there are other foreigners here, but so far I haven’t seen a single one in all my walkings around. Small Japanese children look at me sideways and older children, aged about nine or ten, often openly stare. Those locals who are unfortunate enough to have to interact with me, such as customer service staff at the supermarkets, konbini or cafes, are very kind and helpful. And my Japanese extended family are wonderful. Kind, courteous, they have welcomed me with open arms and have truly done everything they can to make me feel part of their family.

Being in a country where no-one speaks your language is a good way to make you think about how you behave yourself, when encountering people with English as a second language. I think that Pakeha New Zealanders can be a bit smug about the whole language thing and be very impatient and intolerant of those who struggle with English.

Takasu Shrine

I was curious about where those steps would lead to. If nothing else I was expecting a view back over the city.

Last Monday I walked to the end of one of the main roads nearby and came across an interesting flight of stairs leading up to a tree-clad hill.

I was expecting possibly a leafy suburb or a small park and was surprised to discover the Takasu Shinto shrine at the top. In Summer when all the trees are clad in their greenery, it will be very pretty up there.

I was hesitant to venture too far within the enclosed area but later learned that it would have been okay to have gone in to look around the gardens. Instead I walked around the grounds in front of the building but outside the Torii. There were a number of large rocks with inscriptions on them, as well as the trunk of an old tree that had been cared for.

I took a photo of the text written by the remains of the tree as I was curious about it. According to Google Translate, (and we all know that it’s not the ideal translation tool), the words say something like this;

Rising cherry blossoms – An old cherry tree that had fallen from its roots due to a typhoon in September 2001 was repaired by Makoto Sugawara, who visited for prayer in May 2003, using a 50-ton crane. Mr Hitoshi Igarashi, the priest at the time, named it ‘Okiagari Sakura’.

Something different

On the left, a ゆたんぽ , a Japanese style of hot water bottle. On the right, the cuddly version I purchased online.

When I first arrived in Asahikawa the nights were very cold, and although my room was well-heated, I was given a Yutanpo, a Japanese hot water bottle. I used this for a week or so, then decided to order a more familiar type online. These days, the most common versions of the Yutanpo are made of hard plastic! Exactly like the one in the photo above, and even though it comes with a soft cotton sleeve, it’s very different from the rubber version I had as a child. Though I suspect it’s also less likely to perish and fall apart in your bed than those old rubber ones were.

I’ve since seen many of the same type for sale in shops and online, but I was glad when my new soft more familiar version arrived in the mail, complete with cuddly hedgehog cover.

Travel, Writing

JAPAN DIARY

April 18, 2022 Irihapeti Leave a comment

Jū – Heading North

Until I travelled to Japan, I hadn’t realised exactly how far north Asahikawa was. A long way from Aotearoa.

I found my allocated seat and settled in for the two hour flight. Beside me was a young Japanese woman. We had plenty of space, both being of slight build; I often wonder how uncomfortable it must be for taller and larger travellers. As soon as we were airborne I could feel my attention wilting but managed to stay awake for the safety message, conveyed in both Japanese and English. After that, my eyelids were no match for the drone of the engines.

A Wintry Patchwork

I did wake up at one point over the stretch of ocean that separates Honshu from Hokkaido. I saw steel blue water water, flecked with white caps. Before dozing off again and now over land, I saw tiny snow-coated fields in subtle shades of soft greys and whites, interrupted by the dull bleakness of hills. A flash of sunlight reflected iridescent threads of water and accentuated the jagged charcoal lines of roads. I stretched my weary legs and wiggled my toes, enjoying the sensation of peacefulness, high above the clouds. My nose twitched at the enticing smell of hot coffee.

Coming in to land at New Chitose, Sapporo, the scene reminded me of an intricate etching.

A smooth landing at Sapporo and there I was with luggage in tow. My only task that of locating the bus stop for my trip to Asahikawa.

Second Breakfast

A Japanese vending machine means ‘spoiled for choice’ when it comes to quick beverages. Hot or cold.

With time in hand, I homed in on a pair of vending machines and picked up a hot coffee. Then visited another konbini to collect my next snack. Ah… onigiri and a chocopan! About NZ$5.00 in total.

Shrimp mayonnaise onigiri, chocopan and a hot vending-machine coffee. Happiness!

(If you’re curious about Japanese breads, check this site out! For those of you who learnt French all those years ago at school, you’ll recognise the word ‘pan’ for bread. (French = pain, pronunciation is the same).

Travel, Writing

JAPANESE DIARY

April 12, 2022 Irihapeti Leave a comment

Hachi – Return to the Land of the Rising Sun

Waiting for the 12.22 am shuttle bus from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2, Haneda Airport, Tokyo.

In early March, Japan finally opened up its borders to a limited range of international visitors. I was fortunate that one of the categories was, ‘close family member’ which allowed me to at long last make my way back to Asahikawa.

I commenced my return journey on 17 March, which was a full two years since the trip I’d had to cancel in 2020. Prior to my flight I was required to be fully vaccinated, with two shots and a booster, and to take a Covid test within 72 hours of my departure.

You can imagine my trepidation as the day drew closer and I had very real fears that I might contract Omicron somehow in the last few days before my flight. Of course, this was somewhat unlikely as living in the country meant I wasn’t in contact with any potentially contagious people. But I did have to drive to Auckland to the Japanese Consulate to drop off my application papers and NZ passport, and later to collect my VISA, and I also had to undertake the pre-departure saliva test. For my trips I donned a P2 mask, to be on the safe side.

It’s usually impossible to find an empty chaise lounge in the Koru Club.

The Air New Zealand International Lounge at Auckland airport was busy, but not crowded. Everyone was wearing masks, except for in the dining area. I couple of guys sat really close to me, one older than me and one younger. It was annoying enough that the one who decided to sit beside me on the bench seat was close enough to almost touch shoulders, but he started coughing and snuffling a lot. And then his fellow-traveler began a long-winded story about a mutual friend (I could hear every word) and began to swear with just about every other word. I moved away and found that all the lying-down type seats were empty! So I was able to settle down in a quiet corner.

The Flight

If I expected Auckland Airport to be quieter than usual, I wasn’t proven wrong, but even so I wasn’t prepared for the lack of passengers on the flight itself. While I sat and waited to board, I noticed that most of my fellow passengers were Japanese, and that I was most likely one of only three gaijin. I had chosen an aisle seat, but was the only person seated in the entire row.

I was tired. The previous two weeks between when I discovered I could apply for a visa and when I actually held the stamped passport in my hand, had worn me out. It wasn’t just the fear of being turned down, despite all the work that my daughter and her husband had done to get the paperwork sorted, it was the fear that my visa wouldn’t arrive in time, or that I’d get sick, or that something else would change, the rules would change, the troubles in the Ukraine would develop into full scale war, a new mutant of the virus would cause borders to close, that kind of thing. So when I was finally on the aeroplane and was in the air, it was hard to believe that I was actually on my way.

Waiting at the Airport

I was already aware that when I touched down in Japan that afternoon, I’d be required to undertake a Covid test, and that I would have to wait at Narita airport until my results came through. If I tested positive I’d be required to go into quarantine in Tokyo, but if I was negative, I’d be free to travel to Hokkaido, as long as I reached Asahikawa within 48 hours.

I was a little worried about the timing of everything. My flight would land at Narita around 5 pm, but the connecting flight to Sapporo departed from Tokyo’s second airport, Haneda, at 9.30 pm, and I was booked onto the Limousine bus (the shuttle to Haneda) for 6.35 pm. Surely it would all work out. But as soon as I walked off the plane and turned a couple of corners into the arrivals corridor, my heart sank. Ahead were two extremely long rows of single seats. Each seat had a large number attached to the back and the one I was to sit on was numbered ’75’.

The line was long, and it wasn’t moving.

For the first hour, not one person on any chair moved forward. It was hot and crowded, I had with me my 23 kg tightly packed suitcase and my 7 kg backpack. There were people around me with children and babies. There were elderly people. There were constant announcements being conveyed through speakers, but I could understand nothing. The time ticked by and when I finally managed to attract the attention of a young staff member, and to explain my predicament, i.e., how likely was it that I’d be able to catch the 6.35 pm shuttle, she apologetically gestured in such a way that I had no doubt that it would be impossible. Little did I know that I wouldn’t be finished with the whole process for another five hours. In that time, the limousine bus, my connecting flight and my hotel in Sapporo had to be cancelled.

Fortunately I was able to connect to the airport wifi and contact my family in Asahikawa, and thanks to them, my flight was changed to one the following day, and I was booked in to the First Cabin hotel at Haneda Airport for the night. For anyone who was reading my blog in 2018, you’ll possibly remember that I stayed there then. I was extremely relieved.

Three Trains Late at Night

At around 10.30 pm I was finally through Customs and baggage control and had ahead of me the task of purchasing tickets for, and negotiating three different trains, to get to Haneda airport before the last train, the Tokyo Monorail, ran its final trip for the night.

This is me on the train to Nippori trying to take a photo through the train window of the lights of Tokyo. All I managed to get was my own reflection!

My Asahikawa family had sent through been instructions on the route I should take, so I made my way to the railway station, dragging my luggage up and down the escalators. I was particularly grateful to the young woman in the ticket booth for the Skyliner. Despite having very limited English, she gave me clear instructions and walked me to within sight of the exit to the first platform. I was also grateful that after the first leg of my train escapade (Haneda Airport to Nippori Station) that the platform there also had an escalator. I was so weary by this time that if I’d had to somehow lift my large suitcase up a huge flight of stairs, I don’t think I’d have managed it. Not that I can actually lift it far off the ground. Being short, I can only just raise my suitcase high enough to get on and off a train–thank goodness it has wheels!

Haneda Airport, Terminal 1. All alone by myself. Luckily there was one more shuttle bus to Terminal 2, scheduled for 12.27 am.

The triple train trip is something of a blur. And to top it off, when I got to my final stop, Haneda Airport Terminal 1, I went to the wrong side of the carriage and stood there waiting for the door to open, which of course it didn’t. By the time I realised my mistake, and hurriedly turned to the other side, the door shut in my face and we were moving again. Exiting at Terminal 2, all the shops and counters were closed and the airport was completely empty, except for some security personnel wandering around. They kindly showed me the way to the Free Shuttle Bus stand and I was relieved to see that the last bus was scheduled for 12.27 am. I had only eight minutes to wait. And it did arrive. Thank goodness.

Sleep at Last

At Terminal 1, it was much the same. I was met at the bus by a couple of security personnel who escorted me to the hotel. There I was, trundling along, dragging my sodding heavy suitcase, shoulders drooping after five hours of wearing my backpack, hot and sticky. With a tiny pod type room awaiting me. Barely enough room to swing a cat. But when I slid the screen closed, I was just pleased to be somewhere with no-one else. Just me. A clean bed with a puffy duvet. And to be at Haneda, rather than still at Narita, with only the morning’s flight to Sapporo ahead of me in the morning, before I could connect with my midday bus to Asahikawa.

Travel, Writing

By the Ishikari River

April 18, 2019 Irihapeti Leave a comment

Stopbank walk 02 — Walking at dusk alongside the Ishikari River.

Walking along the bank above the grey green waters of the Ishikari, running full and fast due to snow melt, I disturbed a fox. It was up ahead, sniffing by a wooden post, tawny-coated below the silver-gold sky of a setting sun. It turned my way then ran down towards the water, a dark blur against the snow, brush tail flouncing.

There it rested beneath a bare branched willow and I saw that there were two. They were larger than I expected and I later read that they were most likely Kitakitsune. I tried to capture them with my iPhone but it was twilight, they were far away and on the move, and after three attempts my phone’s batteries expired and it shut down.

two foxes — Two foxes in the distance, bounding over the snow.

I walked on a little then turned and looked back. They’d stopped running and were standing immobile, heads raised, watching. I resumed my walk with a feeling of loss. It’s unlikely I’ll see those two again. Ahead, the sun dropped below the clouds and a sharp wind picked up dry leaves from the snow at my feet. A solitary Tobi circled high in the sky above.

The Kitakitsune, the Tobi, the fluttering leaves, the roiling river, and me. Nothing else moved in the silent landscape. To my left, the Ishikari flowed swiftly to the north, banks stacked with dirty piles of snow sculpted into strange shapes by wind and sun. To my right, rows of pastel houses, shabby-seeming in the twilight, displayed yellow-glowing windows.

You can walk in a foreign country and forget to see the differences while you tread the unfamiliar city footpaths and unexplored tracks by the river. You can investigate routes through powdery snow or earthy tree litter, while disregarding the strange smells and ignoring the different angle of the sun. You can choose to be in the moment or to let your mind drift away.

Travel, Writing

A Very Short Stay in London

August 31, 2018 Irihapeti 1 Comment

SBM 03 — Putting on a brave face at Shepherd’s Bush Market station

Why it pays to double-check bookings

Our flight touched down at Heathrow too late in the day to fly on to Helsinki, so we’d booked one night at a hotel close to the airport. I felt comfortably smug that I had it all organised. Imagine my shock when I discovered that I’d booked for the 29th of the wrong month. And it was a ‘no refund’ booking.

My distress quickly turned to disbelief and then to dismay. I suppose we were lucky that there were still rooms available for the night we were actually there, so I had to swallow my pride and fork out another £65, adding the experience to my ever-growing list of ‘lessons learned’.

Blocked up and miserable

To make matters worse, on the drive to LA airport I realised I’d contracted a cold, and by the time we arrived in the UK I was feeling pretty grim. The next shock was the weather. After the 40+ temperatures in California, the 16 C with drizzling rain was hardly a warm welcome.

Back in New Zealand a few months earlier, I’d been browsing ‘What’s on in London’ for the night we were there, and had been surprised to read that The Modern Māori Quartet were performing a ‘one and only’ gig in London on the exact same day. The show was scheduled for 4 pm at Bush Hall in Shepherd’s Bush, so we’d booked tickets thinking it would be a fun thing to do. We’d also be able to say ‘Hi’ to our son’s friend, Maaka. But now that we were actually in London, I was questioning the wisdom of that ‘bright idea’. We were both still recovering from the non-booked room screwup, the weather was crummy, and we were a long way from Shepherd’s Bush. Nonetheless, we decided to stick with our plan, so caught the shuttle bus back to the airport, purchased a couple of Oyster Cards, loaded them with some cash, negotiated a couple of different routes on London’s Underground, then walked as rapidly as we could to Bush Hall. We arrived at our destination with just a few minutes to spare, despite having to switch trains due to delays on one of the lines.

Bush Hall

BH SB — Bush Hall, Shepherd’s Bush, London

According to Bush Hall’s website, the venue was originally built by a publisher in 1904, and is one of a trio of London dance halls he built for each of his daughters, Bush Hall being the only survivor of the three. The hall has enjoyed a varied existence since then. In WWII it served time as a soup kitchen, before being reinvented as a bingo hall, a rehearsal space, and a snooker & social club. It was restored to its former ‘musical glory’ in 2001 by its current owners.

TMMQ — Left and Right: The Modern Maori Quartet performing at Bush Hall, London.

At the hall we bought a couple of cheap red wines and settled in to enjoy the performance. The place was fully booked (well, as far as I could tell, as they had to bring in more chairs from the back) and the audience seemed to only comprise of Kiwis – a motley assortment, at that. The Modern Maori Quartet was as polished as ever, and everyone around us was having a good time, singing along and channeling their ‘kiwiness’. I can’t say my heartstrings were plucked, but then we’d only been away from home for less than a week. Unfortunately we didn’t get to catch up with Maaka as he wasn’t on that particular tour.

Shepherds Bush both ways — Shepherd’s Bush Market station on a rainy July evening. Looking left, then right.

After the performance was over, we wearily trudged back along the road in the rain, ordering a £4.95 meal from an Indian restaurant on the way to the Underground. We thought this a good deal, until they stung us £2 each for two small bottles of water. When I’d asked earlier for a couple of glasses of water, I’d thought we’d be given tap water. Won’t do that again. Then back on one train, then another, then the airport shuttle, then the short walk (still in the rain) back to the hotel.

Once again, it had been a long day, starting with our departure from Indian Wells at 6.30 am and moving on to the drive to LA airport, the disposal of the rental car, the horrors of US Customs, UK Customs, the non-booked hotel, negotiating public transport in London… perhaps we’d overestimated our energy levels, but at least we did manage to achieve all that we’d planned.

Winding down

That night in the hotel we barely unpacked, just fell into bed and slept fitfully until our alarms woke us up around 4.00 am. The flights to Helsinki departed at 7.30 am so we had to get organised early. But as we departed from our hotel in the grey early light, I was filled with a sense of optimism. That feeling of being ‘on the road again’ with a whole new country ahead of us. Helsinki meant summer and seeing family. The air b n b we’d booked looked lovely (online, at least), and we wouldn’t have to travel anywhere far for the next five days. And surely my health would improve.