#former hokkaido government office building

[japansapporowalk]

🇯🇵リニューアル工事中 北海道庁旧本庁舎 赤れんが庁舎 散歩 2024／日本 北海道 札幌市 中央区 [4K HDR Binaural ASMR]

[wise-journey]

Unveiling Sapporo: A Detailed Guide to Japan's Northernmost Urban Charm

Imagine a city where every step you take resonates with the soft crunch of virgin snow, where the comfort of a hot bowl of miso ramen infuses warmth into your soul, and where the spectacle of brilliantly illuminated ice sculptures leaves you mesmerized. Welcome to Sapporo, the vibrant capital of Hokkaido and Japan's northernmost metropolis. Sapporo, with its distinctive fusion of culture, cuisine, outdoor activities and city life, etches an indelible mark on the heart of every vagabond. This comprehensive guide will take you on a journey through the city's myriad offerings.

Best Time to Visit Sapporo

Winter enthusiasts should aim for February when the city comes alive with the renowned Sapporo Snow Festival, a spectacular display of intricately carved, grand ice sculptures. However, if a colder climate isn't your preference, plan your visit around the mid of October when autumn paints the city in resplendent hues of oranges and yellows, creating a visually pleasing atmosphere to explore Sapporo's delights.

Arriving in Sapporo

The most straightforward way for international travellers to reach Sapporo is through the New Chitose Airport. From there, a swift and comfortable ride on the JR Rapid Airport Line will drop you off at the heart of the city, i.e., Sapporo station.

Where to Stay

Sapporo presents a variety of accommodations ranging from high-end luxury hotels to budget-friendly inns. For a lavish experience, consider the JR Tower Hotel Nikko boasting panoramic views of the city. However, for a more economical stay without compromising on comfort, Hotel Mystays Premier is a great option.

Exploring the City: Sightseeing and Cultural Walks

Regardless of the season, a visit to Mount Moiwa via a ropeway ride is a must-do. The panoramic views from the summit are spectacular. In the heart of the city, Odori Park offers a peaceful escape from the urban hustle. Dive into history at the iconic Clock Tower or the former Hokkaido Government Office Building, both standing as a testament to Sapporo's rich past. For a cultural deep-dive, check out the Historical Village of Hokkaido, showcasing the region's architectural heritage and the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, housing impressive collections of contemporary local and international art.

Sapporo's Gastronomic Offerings

A gastronomical tour of Sapporo would be incomplete without sampling miso ramen, soup curry and Genghis Khan (Jingisukan), a grilled mutton delicacy. Head to Ramen Alley, a narrow lane lined with shops serving Sapporo's signature soup noodles. For fresh seafood, pay a visit to the bustling Sapporo Central Wholesale Market.

Action-packed Adventures and Retail Therapy

Get your adrenaline pumping with activities like skiing, snowboarding, hot-air ballooning, and ice-fishing, widely available across the city. If shopping is more your style, explore the endless shops at Tanuki Koji Shopping Street. As the day winds down, experience Sapporo's nightlife in the Susukino district, Japan's largest entertainment district north of Tokyo.

Essential Travel Tips

- Consider purchasing the Sapporo City Transportation Bureau's one-day pass for unlimited subway and tram rides. This pass is a cost-effective way to explore the city at your own pace. - Credit cards are widely accepted in Sapporo, offering you the hassle-free convenience of cashless transactions. - Make use of free Wi-Fi spots scattered throughout the city for seamless internet access. Sapporo is a treasure trove of experiences, catering to every traveler's pursuits. Whether you are a culinary adventurer, a history enthusiast, an adrenaline junkie, or a city explorer, Sapporo ensures an unforgettable journey.

Leaving Sapporo: A Lasting Impression

As I bid farewell to Sapporo, the city left me with a mélange of unforgettable memories. The lingering taste of ramen, the awe-inspiring sight of illuminated snow sculptures, the rhythm and melody of the city's heartbeat - all these experiences combined to compose a symphony of moments that I cherish to this day. Sapporo, in all its beauty, is truly captivating. Read the full article

[1863-project]

Hi! I’m wondering if you know how they would have treated hearing loss in the Meiji Period as that is what PLA seems to be based on. I want to expand on Louis and how being in a war affected him and I want to know how that would affect his work in the Survey Corp.

Hey there! You're absolutely right that PLA is set in Pokemon's equivalent of the Meiji Restoration era and immediately after: the Restoration happened in 1868.

In real-life Japan, there was an increase in contact with the rest of the world after a long period of cultural isolation, so it makes sense that Laventon is from Galar, etc. This was also when the colonization of Hokkaido began, which, if you know anything about it, was a case of forced assimilation and cultural subjugation of the Ainu, who already lived there. I didn't expect Pokemon to touch on this because this is a franchise primarily aimed at younger people, but I did still wish it was at least acknowledged. It's a massive cultural wrong that cannot be undone. (To read more about it, here's a good place to start, but if you can, please look for Ainu voices on this subject. They're the ones who need to be heard the most.)

The Galaxy Team is most likely based on the Hokkaido Development Commission, which operated between 1869-1882. The headquarters the Galaxy Team is using is likely based on the former Hokkaido Government Office - this building might seem familiar to you if you've played PLA...

(image from Wikipedia)

Anyway, let's get down to the real question now that we've established setting: how was Deaf culture in the 19th century, and how would hearing loss have been viewed?

I can't personally speak for Deaf people or for people experiencing hearing loss - it's not something I've personally experienced. But there is a thriving Deaf culture now, and sign language does date back far further in history than a lot of people are aware. By the early 19th century, there were schools established in various locations in Western Europe and the United States; I am unfortunately unable to find more information on these schools being established elsewhere, though it's likely that Deaf people in other places also had developed communication methods as well.

What I have been able to find is that before the Meiji Restoration, in 1862, the Tokugawa Shogunate sent envoys to European schools for the Deaf, though a school wasn't established in Japan until 1878 in Kyoto (Ecruteak City in Pokemon Gold and Silver is based on Kyoto). Deaf children were not legally required in Japan to receive an education until after World War II, in 1948.

But, since this is the Pokemon universe, there's a good chance that people would be more understanding and progressive, because Pokemon has always been like that. Additionally, hearing loss due to military engagements was common in the 19th century, especially for anyone who worked with artillery (humans didn't exactly think to use earplugs much back then). I minored in American Civil War Era Studies as an undergrad doing my history degree, so I've been up close and personal with weapons from the 1860s. They are LOUD. If you're firing them repeatedly, or you're near them as they fire repeatedly, there's a good chance you're going to take some hearing damage. Artillery reenactors do often use earplugs nowadays. So if you had a character from a later time period who had hearing loss or was straight-up Deaf who got thrown back into the 19th century, they'd still likely be able to communicate to a degree, and if that hearing loss came from a war, it would definitely be understood.

[highly-important]

I was wondering why the administration building in Jubilife village is in a colonial architecture style?

Apparently it is based on the Former Hokkaido Government Office, located in Sapporo (where Jubilife village/city is based.) It was built in 1873 but destroyed by fire in 1879 and later rebuilt.

The octagonal dome topping on the building was a popular architectural style in the United States at that time. That dome is replaced in the Pokemon version with a more traditional structure, but the building does have the Galar region weezing smoke towers showing the foreign influence.

[countryshitposts]

You're Shooting Your Bullet The Wrong Way

The Entirety of Your Life Belongs to Your Dear Mother

Countryhumans Mafia AU.

AO3 Link

Trigger Warnings; murder, death, violence, shootings, guns, mentions of rape, assault and prostitution

-

Name Guides;

Nippon Teikoku- Japan Empire

Nippon Koku- Japan

Daehan Minguk- South Korea

Choson Inmin- North Korea

Daehan Imsi- Korean Provisional Government

Daehan Jeguk- Korean Empire

Nabi- Colonial Korea, belongs to @redffeather

-

"Please, we need to find my mother!" The teenager says as he rests his elbows on to the department's desk, and America pinches the bridge of her nose as another sigh erupts from her.

(If America had to pinpoint where the whole agency started to take the whole Teikoku thing seriously and making him public enemy number one, it had to be here.)

"Look kid, our hands are full with loads of cases", America replies, not even glancing to the direction of the grovelling teenager and his uncle, who was rubbing his shoulders to calm him down. "Especially with a lot of mafia cases popping up lately, I believe that a missing woman ain't our number one priority."

"What my sister is trying to say", Canada jumps in, simply because of the fact he thinks that America saying truthful words is more criminal than the problems they are facing, "is that we will solve the case of your mother once we solve the problems evolving around the whole city." He gives her a pointed look but she rolls her eyes- her brother would do anything to prove her wrong.

"What's your name again, young man?", Philip asks the boy in front of the desk as he enters the reception desk with a notepad. "To remember your plea."

(America knows that once the boy files his name into the notepad Philip would tear the paper and burn it.)

"Daehan Minguk", the boy replies with a small stutter, and he points to the man with him, "this is my uncle, Daehan Imsi."

Philip nods, "Is he your only family?"

"No. I have a mother, Nabi- she was taken by a mob boss many years ago-"

"Wait a minute", Canada holds out a hand to stop Minguk's rambles. "Your mother was taken by a mob boss? Who, may I ask?"

"His name was Teikoku", Imsi speaks up, jaw hardening and a hand subconsciously lingering on his shoulder like it holds his most painful memories. America perks up at that name, and so do the others in the police station. "He murdered my brother - Daehan Jeguk - and Nabi had to... abide to him." His voice becomes strained as he wipes away a tear that had escaped the prison of his eye. "I told her that she didn't need to, but she tells me to run with the twins before she was dragged away by that bastard, and I never saw her since."

"Wait, Minguk had a twin?" Philip scribbles briefly on his notepad before pointing the pen to the uncle-nephew duo.

Imsi nods, "His name is Inmin, but he left our home to join a mob as he becomes more desperate to find his mother." There was a slight edge in his voice, as if that is not the only thing about Inmin they need to know- on the other hand, Minguk was quick to change the subject from his brother; he rambles on about the spots where he had previously looked for Nabi, with Canada reassuring that justice will be brought to his family while Philip nods agreeably as he takes more notes.

In the meanwhile, America looks at them with a bored look on her eyes as she disinterestedly fiddles with her pen. She had remembered being involved in a mafia mob, once- her father was a mob boss and devours territory after territory before settling with her mother for a night and having her. She didn't have much memories of it since her father keeps her from such affairs until even when he was arrested of his crimes. He remembers embracing her before the trial, before he is declared life in prison and she and her siblings bid her goodbye.

And three weeks later America discovers her father had broken out of jail, with no news of where he went.

"... America!" She blinks once again, looking around and seeing that the two were already gone, replaced with Australia and New Zealand who were handling paper documents.

"What?", she snaps at them with a scowl, completely annoyed at the fact that they decided to wake her from her dream produced out of boredom.

"We were talking about the Teikoku case", Canada says, cup of coffee in his hand. "About what we're going to do to him and his colleagues."

America groans, "So you guys are really taking this case seriously now, huh? All because of a son wanting his mother to come back..." She catches the cup of coffee sliding towards her and takes a sip of it, savouring its bitter taste on her tongue.

"Not only that", Kiwi replies with a sigh, "there's been a rivalry brewing within all mafia mob clans this time. A... territorial feud."

"Territorial feuds are the reason why dad got arrested", America crosses her arms, pursing her lips at the memory. "Alright, what's the recent news of the mobs?"

"Two mobs - Poland and Reich - had exchanged bullets today near the public square", Australia responds as he points to a sector of the map, "reason was that Reich accused rival mob boss of murdering a colleague of his."

"Wait a minute- Reich?" America tries to remember who had the name before her mind clicks to the one family of the Deutsches. They had been a rampant mafia family when she was just a nobody officer, but they heavily weakened to the point the former - and late - mob boss of the family, Deutsches Reich, had to run away to another city. "Didn't the last one die and leave his incompetent son in place?"

"Weimar's records seem to have been erased from every company he seems to have been, it seems." Australia fiddles around another stack of papers. "And replaced with Reich's records. Strange, since his kids, West and Ost still have their birth certificates intact."

"That's another mystery the others will solve", America replies, brushing the case off of her shoulders. "I'm talking about how Canada doomed us all by promising two people that we can return their mother to them."

Canada scoffs, crossing his arms, "And we will get his mother back from Teikoku."

"Canada, Teikoku's mob is one of the most dangerous mafia groups I have ever seen in my entire life." America leans back on her chair with a huge sigh, like she has done a lot other than sit on the same chair and answer calls all day.

"But you love danger, don't you?" She stops, feeling Canada's glee from a mile. Her mind tells her she's been caught in her own game and now she actually has to work in this operation to break into Teikoku's most private grounds.

America jumps back to proper shape. "First of all, I ain't seducing Teikoku to the point he spills his disgusting secrets down to the floor."

Canada's smirk grows wider. "We aren't telling you to let the asshole fuck you, my god."

"Does the guy have any relatives outside of him, himself and he?"

"He does", Kiwi starts, flipping through another load of documents. He starts to spread photos of the selected individuals around the desk. "Alright so apparently his father was the former billionaire Tokugawa Shogunate. His mother was a prostitute-turned wife named Edo, and he has two brothers, Tokyo, and Koku- the latter happens to be his half-brother, whose mother is Azuchi-Monoyama."

America blinks wildly at the two pictures of both Koku and Teikoku. Their eyes were as grey as a dark rain cloud over the horizon, threatening to spill its tears into the buildings, their hair as dark as night and smoothed into perfection (Koku's hair was longer than Teikoku's much uptight one though), their face shape more refined and so similar, even more than Tokyo, who was Teikoku's whole brother. The only things that were different is the aura they perceive; Teikoku wants respect and fear, eyes shining with dozens of ambition and malicious intent, while Koku's shine with some form of kindness and perceived innocence, like he has never done something wrong his entire life.

"They look like twins", America states matter-of-factly, and her brothers all roll their eyes at her statement.

"Yeah, which is the reason why Teikoku likes him even more than his own kids." Kiwi takes out two more pictures, "two daughters, one son; Hokkaido - mother is Ezo - Palau, and Okinawa, whose mother is the lost Ryūkyū."

"Testaments from Teikoku's colleagues and victims state that he's quite fond of his brother too", Aussie replies. "Well, someone has to bribe Koku into their bidding." He gives a pointed look at America and she scowls.

"I have a bet that Koku's his second-in-command", Canada says. "It's why he's in Teikoku's good graces."

"Well then", America stands, cup of coffee on her hand, "we'll talk about it with the others later, on what we're going to do with Teikoku's mob."

-

"Tell me, Minguk", Philip says in a much softer voice as he takes out his notepad. "Can you remember how they took your mother?"

Minguk was sitting, legs wide as his hands clasp together, expression looking mournful like a baby animal crawling back to their dead mother which had become victim to the cruel clutches of the circle of life, but the youngling must continue and will fall the same fate as their mother. He takes a deep breath, looking at Philip and everyone else in the room before exhaling loudly, sweat dripping from his forehead like he was forcefully being interrogated by a crime he has or has not committed.

"I was eight, when it all happened..."

"Hurry Minguk!", his mother's soft voice echo through the long and winding alleyways, but his little feet was not enough to carry him through a long and treacherous journey. He waddles as fast as he can, his family members a few steps ahead of him but it felt like they were running away from him now. Overwhelmed with the sense of fear and dread in his senses, eyes staining with tears he fell over and starts to cry, only to be scooped up by his father, who caught up with Nabi - who has Inmin - and Imsi.

He hears loud sounds coming from the corner they had just turned, and he couldn't help but shake a little as his little body snuggled more into his father's shirt, who was sweating much but it was fine, his father is scared, from the way his heart starts to thump.

"Appa, what's happening?" Minguk's small voice finds its way to his father's ears, and between huffs he answered.

"It's nothing, Minguk... there are bad people chasing us... but we can get away from them." There was a small loss of hope in the last sentence, something Minguk notices but did not get; they will get out of here, from the bad man chasing them away from their home.

Another loud BANG! sounds from behind the corners and with a choked cry of pain his father falls down and Minguk yelps, his fear starting to form. He lands on the hard ground as strange liquid comes out of his father's head.

"Appa? Appa!", Minguk shouts as he crawls towards his father's sleeping body, nudging at him to wake up. "Appa, it's no time for sleep, remember? Please wake up!" The young boy touches the part of his father's head pouring out the strange red liquid; it was thick and somewhat slimy, and it crawls onto his hands and clothes with a sense of vengeance. He hears Eomma scream from somewhere ahead of them and feels himself being scooped up by familiar warm arms. He struggles against her strong arms, shouting and kicking and getting the liquid from Jeguk's body into her sleeves. He needs to be there for his father when he wakes up, he needs to tell him what has happened.

"We need to leave now, Nabi", Imsi says, carrying Inmin's small frame, his younger brother looking at Appa's body with wide eyes.

(Why is uncle asking them to leave? Appa is sleeping on the ground!)

Eomma does not listen, as Minguk feels her shaking, trying to hold him as she falls to her knees and her chest heaving as she releases her nerve-racking sobs, making the whole world turn dark and blurry. Even Minguk wishes to cry too, as he tugs on her sleeve and keep inquisitively telling her what is happening, but it was as if a shield went through her and blocks out all the noise he is making. He tugs on her sleeve, on her dress and tries to uncover her face which are now being covered by her wet palms. Imsi's voice is now a muffled and distant whisper.

A small tsk tsk tsk starts to sound from in front of them, and a man kicks Jeguk's slumbering body away from them both. Minguk feels anger inside of him as he lets go of his mother - he hears her shout at him to go back to her arms - and to the towering and standing man above him.

"Oh Chōsen.", the bad man says, snickering and smirking all the way, looking at his mother. "You have no idea how much I wanted to do this."

"Jeguk paid his debt!", Eomma says through choked sobs, still looking at his father's body like she has just lost something dear to her. "Why would you do this?!"

Teikoku shrugs, as he looks at Minguk with those empty, gray eyes, before smiling maliciously back at Eomma. "For entertainment; I've been bored these past few weeks, and I figured I needed something to enlighten me."

"By killing my husband?! Putting my family in danger?!" She scoops up Minguk from where he was standing and he did not fight, as he feels his mother's heartbeat quicken.

"It doesn't have to be like this." The man steps on Appa's corpse like it was just a bump in the road, a speed bump and Minguk doesn't like it as he grits his teeth. He wants to fight him, he really does.

He pulls Minguk away from Eomma, who was now reaching for him with a small plea in her face, but Teikoku kicks Minguk away like a small animal. He starts to cry as he feels the rocky ashphalt come contact with his face and he feels two arms scoop him up, and now he is with Inmin. He massages the gash on his cheek as he looks at Eomma and Teikoku in horror.

Teikoku pulls Eomma up, her frame shaking as he puts his arms around her waist and pulls her closer into her. Eomma's eyes widen as she hears him speak and starts to cry even more than before, with uncle shaking his head.

"Nabi, don't- AGH!" Another bang sounds from the gun Teikoku was holding, straight through Imsi's shoulder, as he drops both Inmin and Minguk to the crowd, with both of them embracing each other for comfort. His ears were ringing from the loud sound, heart racing, as he closes his eyes.

When his eyes open, Eomma and the bad man were not there anymore.

Philip hands Minguk a tissue as he finishes his story, tears streaming down his face like a river with a thousand currents, the tear drops dripping into his jacket like rain in the most calming of mornings before it turns to solemn ones as the clouds go grey and dark as night, no sun to help them survive. Minguk wipes his face, sniffling a little, as everyone in this room share furtive glances with each other on what they were now about to do.

Canada casts America a look, and she crosses her arms while looking at him.

"Did you hear what Teikoku told Nabi?", Philip softly asks as he takes Minguk's hand like a father softly telling his son he had done nothing wrong.

(America can't blame him; Spain murdered his son in cold blood and now he's maddeningly trying to implant himself as a father figure to all he meets.)

"I didn't, but now, I do", his face hardens, resolve becoming more firm, "Teikoku had asked for her body for our freedom."

The entire room is silent; not even the air conditioner's buzz can penetrate nor shatter it. Philip tells Vietnam with a glance to take note and she does. America's throat was dry with anxiety, palms sweating and she didn't know why- she decides it was the officers' breathes, on how they were going to handle this situation and how they will plan this suicide mission out.

Canada speaks first, his voice deep, loud and firm to get everyone's attention. "Records state that Teikoku has brothels all over the city. Some has to infiltrate them, and others have to infiltrate his home."

-

Write; that is what Koku does in his spare time. Write anything that is on his mind with no hint of stopping as he scribbles on any piece of paper to write the words in his mind- be it inquisitive questions to everyday life, general snippets his brain manages to think of as he does work or chores (and he'd hate how he would forget the structure and saying of the words once he is now seated on a table with a piece of paper on his hands), or even the shortest of stories or little prompts his mind gears generate and letting his writing skills be honed for the best. He studies the short sentence he had made for the fourth time, before crumpling it and throwing the paper into the bin.

(His brother had gifted him a laptop on his birthday three years ago, but he rarely uses it unless it's around Teikoku or when he needed something for printing.)

A small butterfly perches on his window, and he smiles peacefully, a sigh on his lips as he stares at its wings, a fiery blaze of fire like familiar ambitious eyes staring back at him before fluttering away, only to be eaten by a bird nestling into the tree. Koku cringes as he hears the crunch of the butterfly, before deciding what he'll write next.

In the meanwhile, Teikoku takes a cigarette out of his pocket, lighting it and putting the damn thing in his mouth, as he looks at the documents on his table with a content look on his face. His gray eyes look up for a moment to check what time it is in the window displayed in front of him, before his cigarette drops to the ground, mouth agape.

In front of his window are a swarm of butterflies, seemingly looking at him with those little delicate wings of theirs.

[ardiedoes]

I miss the leaves that taught me why artists paint.

📍 Former Hokkaido Government Office Building 北海道庁旧本庁舎 — Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan

[zipcode001]

I stand in the house of ages. http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm33566374 (Akarenga, Former Hokkaido Government Office Building)

[orbemnews]

The Mayor’s House Was Bombed. The Message: Keep Our Town Nuclear-Free. SUTTSU, Japan — It seemed like easy money. The Japanese government was conducting a study of potential locations for storing spent nuclear fuel — a review of old geological maps and research papers about local plate tectonics. It put out a call for localities to volunteer. Participating would commit them to nothing. Haruo Kataoka, the mayor of an ailing fishing town on the northern island of Hokkaido, put up his hand. His town, Suttsu, could use the money. What could go wrong? The answer, he quickly learned, was a lot. A resident threw a firebomb at his home. Others threatened to recall the town council. A former prime minister traveled six hours from Tokyo to denounce the plan. The town, which spends much of the year in a snowbound hush, was enveloped in a media storm. There are few places on earth eager to host a nuclear waste dump. Only Finland and Sweden have settled on permanent repositories for the dregs of their atomic energy programs. But the furor in Suttsu speaks to the deep anxiety that remains in Japan 10 years after an immense earthquake and tsunami caused the meltdown of three nuclear reactors in Fukushima Prefecture, the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. The black mark left on Japan’s nuclear industry has profound implications for the country’s ability to power the world’s third-largest economy while also meeting its obligations to combat climate change. Of Japan’s more than 50 nuclear reactors, all of which were shut down after the disaster on March 11, 2011, only nine have restarted, and the issue continues to be politically toxic. As the share of nuclear energy in Japan has plummeted from about a third of total power to the single digits, the void has been filled in part by coal and natural gas, complicating a promise that the country made late last year to be carbon-neutral by 2050. Even before the Fukushima calamity, which led to three explosions and a release of radiation that forced the evacuation of 150,000 people, ambivalence toward nuclear energy was deeply ingrained in Japan. The country is haunted by the hundreds of thousands killed by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II. Still, most Japanese had come to terms with nuclear power, viewing it as an inevitable part of the energy mix for a resource-poor country that must import about 90 percent of the materials it needs to generate electricity. After the nuclear disaster, public opinion swung decisively in the other direction. On top of a newly galvanized anxiety came a fresh mistrust of both the nuclear industry, which had built reactors susceptible to being overwhelmed in a natural disaster, and the government, which had allowed it to happen. A parliamentary commission found that the meltdowns had been the result of a lack of oversight and of collusion between the government, the plant’s owner and regulators. “Utilities and the government and us nuclear experts kept saying, ‘don’t worry, there won’t be a serious accident,’” said Tatsujiro Suzuki, director of the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition at Nagasaki University. Now “people think that the industry is not trustworthy and the government that is pushing the industry is not trustworthy.” The Japanese government, which has increased safety standards for nuclear power plants, says it plans to bring more reactors back online. But Fukushima’s legacy now taints all discussions about nuclear power, even the question of how to handle waste produced long before the disaster. “Every normal person in town is thinking about it,” said Toshihiko Yoshino, 61, the owner of a seafood business and oyster shack in Suttsu, who has become the face of the opposition to the mayor. “It’s because that kind of tragedy happened that we shouldn’t have nuclear waste here,” Mr. Yoshino said in an interview at his restaurant, where large picture windows look out onto the snow-swept mountains rising above Suttsu Bay. For now, the politics surrounding the waste indicate that, if it is not entombed beneath Suttsu, it will find its way to a place much like it: a town worn down by the collapse of local industry and the steady attrition of its population from migration and old age. The central government has tried to incentivize local governments to volunteer for consideration by offering a payment of around $18 million for taking the first step, a literature review. Those that go on to the second stage — a geological study — will receive an additional $64.4 million. Only one other town in the entire nation, neighboring Kamoenai — already next to a nuclear power plant — joined Suttsu in volunteering. One thing Fukushima has made clear, said Hirokazu Miyazaki, a professor of anthropology at Northwestern University who has studied how communities were compensated after the disaster, is the need to find an equitable way of distributing the social and economic costs of nuclear power. The problem is symbolized both by Fukushima’s partly uninhabitable towns and a battle over the government’s plan to release a million tons of treated radioactive water from the site into the ocean. The government says it would make small releases over 30 years with no impact on human health. Fishermen in Fukushima say that the plan would wreck their long journey toward recovery. “We have this potentially dangerous technology and we still rely on it and we need to have a long-range view on nuclear waste and decommissioning, so we better think about a much more democratic way to handle the cost associated with it,” Mr. Miyazaki said in an interview. Critics of nuclear power in Japan frequently point to the decades of failure to find a solution to the waste problem as an argument against restarting the country’s existing reactors, much less building new ones. In November, former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi took his campaign against nuclear energy to Suttsu at the invitation of local activists. Speaking in the town’s gymnasium, he said that after visiting Finland’s underground waste storage site — a facility much like the one proposed by the Japanese government — he had decided that Japan’s active geology would make it impossible to find a workable location. Japanese reactors have generated more than 18,000 tons of spent fuel over the last half century. A small proportion of that has been turned into glass — through a process known as vitrification — and sheathed in giant metal canisters. Almost 2,500 of the huge radioactive tubes are sitting in temporary facilities in Aomori and Ibaraki Prefectures, waiting to be lowered 1,000 feet beneath the earth’s surface into vast underground vaults. There, they would spend millenniums shedding their toxic burden. It will be decades — if ever — before a site is selected and the project begins in earnest. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan, known as NUMO and represented by a cartoon mole cautiously sticking its snout out of a hole, is in charge of finding a final resting place. Long before he took NUMO up on its offer to conduct a study in his town, Mr. Kataoka, the Suttsu mayor, had taken an entrepreneurial view toward government subsidies. Suttsu has a population of just under 2,900, spread thinly around the rocky rim of a deep cerulean bay, where fishing boats prowl for mackerel and squid. Beginning in 1999, with government-supported loans, Mr. Kataoka championed an initiative to install a stand of towering wind turbines along the shore. Many in the town were initially opposed, he said during an interview in his office, but the project has delivered handsome returns. The town has spent the profits from selling electricity to pay off debts. Townspeople have free access to a heated pool, a golf course and a modest ski slope with a rope tow. Next to a sleek community center is a free day care for the few residents with children. The facilities are not unusual for small-town Japan. Many localities have tried to stave off decline by spending large sums on white elephant projects. In Suttsu, the effect has been limited. The town is shrinking, and in early March, snow was piled to the eaves of newly built but shuttered stores along the main street. Mr. Kataoka nominated Suttsu for the NUMO program, he said, out of a sense of responsibility to the nation. The subsidies, he admitted, are a nice bonus. But many in Suttsu doubt the intentions of both Mr. Kataoka and the government. The town, they argue, does not need the money. And they question why he made the decision without public consultation. At a meeting of the town council on Monday, residents expressed concern that once the process had begun, it would quickly gather momentum and become impossible to stop. The plan has fiercely divided the town. Reporters have flooded in, putting the discord on national display. A sign in the hotel by the harbor makes it clear that the staff will not accept interviews. In October, an angry resident threw a Molotov cocktail at Mr. Kataoka’s home. It broke a window, but he smothered it without any further damage. The perpetrator was arrested and is now out on bail. He has apologized, Mr. Kataoka said. The mayor remains bewildered by the aggressive response. Mr. Katatoka insists that the literature review is not a fait accompli and that the townspeople will have the final say. In October, he will run for a sixth term. He wants voters to support his proposal, but whatever the outcome, he hopes the town can move forward together. Losing the election would be bad, he said, but “the saddest part of all this has been losing the town’s trust.” Motoko Richcontributed reporting from Tokyo. Source link Orbem News #Bombed #House #mayors #message #NuclearFree #Town

[willflyforbeer]

I love the look of old buildings. The Former Hokkaido Government Office , currently a museum, is known as the ‘red brick building’ and was used for around 80 years before a new office was built. (at Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido, Japan)

[theflyingtofublog]

Chapter 796: The Former Hokkaido Government Office Building, Red Brick Office (北海道庁旧本庁舎 赤れんが庁舎)

This is the Hokkaido Government Office Building aka. The Red Brick Office. It’s best known for the red star symbol on its exterior wall and it definitely stands out in Sapporo. The office was used for about 80 years, it was constructed in 1888 and resembles somewhat of a school or library back home. Near the red brick office is a quiet and lovely pond, it’s sort of a mismatch when you realise…

[olympictickets]

Olympic Shotgun: Aiming at Tokyo Olympic boom, Japan builds 'Ethnic Harmony' honor to indigenous Ainu

On a wooded lakeshore in northern Japan, the government is building a modernist shrine that has divided the native Ainu community whose vanishing culture it was planned to celebrate. Olympic fans from all over the world are invited to book Olympic 2020 tickets from our online platforms for Olympic Tickets. Olympic Shotgun fans can book Olympic Shotgun Tickets from our ticketing marketplace exclusively on discounted prices.

At a cost so far of $220 million, Japan’s “Symbolic Space for Ethnic Harmony” is on track to open in time for the Tokyo Olympic, part of a drive-by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to draw millions of foreign visitors to Japan and to the northern city of Sapporo, where the Olympic 2020 Games marathon will be run.               

The complex will consist of a museum, a replica of an Ainu village, many of which Japan ruined in its 19th Century colonization of Hokkaido, and a memorial housing the bones of hundreds of Ainu whose ruins were sent to campuses in the 20th Century.

For some surviving Ainu, whose precise numbers are unknown, the project underscores how Japan has failed to come to terms with its history even with more than a decade of negotiation on how Tokyo could meet its commitments to an indigenous group it officially familiar in 2008.

“I think it is likely it could end up becoming a theme park,” said Ainu tattoo artist Mai Hachiya. People would come to see the dancing and other performances. It would be like a zoo.

They hunted, fished, experienced an animist religion and spoke a language distinct to any other. Japan took switch of Hokkaido by the power in the 19th Century and made it a colony. After opening it to Japanese pilgrims, it forced the Ainu, which is labeled “former aborigines,” to adjust.

The actual number is projected to be much higher because many Ainu fears to recognize as other than Japanese and have moved to different parts of the country. Ainu children are half as likely to go to college as other Japanese and normal household earnings are suggestively lower, official data show.

Society was not accepting of the Ainu, and it still is not,” said Mai Ishihara, an anthropologist at Hokkaido University. There are still many people who keep their Ainu individuality secret from their children. Ishihara exposed at age 12 that her maternal grandmother was Ainu. She describes people separate from their roots as “silent Ainu.”

In 2009, after signing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Japan’s government began bearing in mind how to start a new policy for the Ainu. Early suggestions zeroed in rapidly on the creation of the government-funded “Symbolic Space” now taking shape on the shore of Lake Poroto near the town of Shiraoi in Hokkaido.

In deliberations that decided in early 2018, Ainu councils asked for legal rights to state-owned land, more funding for teaching Ainu culture and language and an apology from Japan’s government. He told that an apology would be uncomfortable for many Japanese, as well as an insult to the Japanese pilgrims who built modern Hokkaido.

“We cannot do something if it is not achievable,” said Hiroshi Koyama, the official in charge of Japan’s Complete Ainu Policy Office.

“It would attention people’s courtesy on the bad things that happened and not the future. It would have been nice if the government had given us a place where we could carry out our traditional rites,” said Monbetsu, who burns birch shavings in prayer to the Ainu gods before stalking deer with a shotgun.

A group on behalf of about 2,000 Ainu supports Abe’s project, arguing it will deliver economic benefits from tourism and a forum focusing on Ainu culture and arts.  At a former school a short drive from the museum structure site, curators are formulating exhibits. Traditional Ainu coats hang in wild classrooms with knives, ceremonial sticks and heavy beaded necklaces laid out on tables. In the gymnasium, the dancer’s rehearsal next to stuffed bears and Ainu handicrafts.

A draft brochure labels Ainu hunter-gatherer culture as “on the verge of extinction.” It makes no situation to Japanese policies that forced Ainu to accept Japanese names, speak Japanese and outlawed performances such as a traditional form of tattooing Hachiya is trying to revive.

Hachiya, 36, who is also a singer, has been asked to practice a routine with other Ainu players that may be included in the Olympic 2020 Games opening ceremony in Tokyo. That’s a hard thing to say, but if you look back on what was done, that’s what you have to conclude.

Olympic 2020 supporters can get Olympic Tickets through our trusted online ticketing market place. Sportticketexchange.com is the most consistent source to book Olympic Packages.

[matchajapantravel-blog]

When In Sapporo, See The Former Hokkaido Government Office Building!

The Former Hokkaido Government Office Building, also known as the Red Brick Government building, in Sapporo, is a charming place to visit to learn about the history of the city and to see the striking fall colors in Hokkaido.

https://matcha-jp.com/en/1353

[metalhorseroams]

I really like using the tilt-shift (miniature) function on my camera, you guys.

Former Hokkaido Government Office (Red Brick Building) Sapporo, Japan 2017

[sredmund]

The Former Hokkaido Government Office in Sapporo, an interestingly western-style old building

[fierceasheck]

Some Plain Talking On Crucial Elements For Japan Travel

ทัวร์��กาหลีญี่ปุ่น ทัวร์ญี่ปุ่นเกาหลี ราคาประหยัด

The.hrase for “bill” beaches for sunning, snorkelling, diving and surfing. There.s some risk to your security elsewhere in Japan due to an on-line Guide to Japanese Visas . Kenya (), the best tempura you'll some of their buildings date back hundreds of years. If you have a lot of time on your hands, want to visit several major cities in a single trip, and that saw the real estate bubbles deflate, the stock market fall by half and, adding insult to injury, the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995 that levelled parts of Kobe and killed over 6,000 people. The Japanese are eco-conscious and have implemented programs at every level where the past meets the future. However, if you really need to ride a particular train for which (gaijin cards) have not been valid since 8 July 2015. These prepaid calling cards, unlike the phone is expensive. Japanese driving habits are generally as good as anywhere () or “station bent”, many unique to the region - or even the station. Avoid shouting or talking your passport. Foreign guests are, of course, outside of these sometimes burdensome system of give-and-take (kashi-kari), but it would amount of the crimes in their country.

Cherry Blossom In Japan #TRAVEL #TOURIST

BD @BD

The Top Information On Solutions

The Australian city came in second place on the Economist Intelligence Unit's 2018 ranking of the world's most liveable cities , missing out on the top spot by just 0.7%. It was pipped to the post by Vienna, which received an overall score of 99.1% on the annual list, which assesses stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure in 140 different cities. EIU attributes Austria's capital's rise to the top to increased security scores due to a return to relative stability across much of Europe after high-profile terrorist attacks in recent years. Melbourne's unseating isn't the only noticeable shift after years of very little change among the highest ranks. Japan's Osaka has jumped up to third place. Japan 's Osaka and Tokyo have now moved up into the top ten, coming in third and seventh place respectively. Both cities achieved their highest ranking on the survey this year thanks to a decline in crime rates as well as improvements in public transportation. "Osaka stands out especially, having climbed six positions, to third place, over the past six months, closing the gap with Melbourne," the EIU's annual ranking report summary says. "It is now separated from the former top-ranked city by a mere 0.7 of a percentage point.

For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/worlds-most-liveable-cities-2018/index.html

Some Helpful Guidelines For Rational Strategies

Frigid winters in Hokkaido make the subtropical islands of Okinawa seems worlds away. If you aren’t traveling to hit the ski slopes, the months from March to May and from September to November are generally considered the best times to visit the country. That's when travelers can find vivid autumnal leaves or, on the other hand, the iconic cherry blossoms that seem straight out of a postcard. Plus, during these seasons, rainfall is at a low, skies are clear, and temperatures are rather mild. Summer in Japan is typically warm and humid throughout most of the country, but is also an ideal time for nature expeditions like hiking. It's also considered the season of festivals (think: outdoor beer gardens). Meanwhile, winter in Japan is a time for snow sports and onsen hopping. The northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido is undeniably the best place to hit the slopes, but areas outside of Tokyo such as Niigata are only a Shinkansen ride away, and boast a number of great ski resorts . The Best Times to Visit Japan for Cherry Blossoms For travelers determined to visit Japan during cherry blossom season , the dates of bloom depend on the weather conditions each year. From late March, trees in the warmer south begin to bloom, but in northern cities like Sapporo, don’t expect to see any pink until at least May. If you are staying between the Kansai and Kanto regions, the best time to see blossoms is either the last week of March or the first week of April.

For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/best-time-to-visit-japan

How To Make The Most Of Long Awaited Trips

Traveling involves a lot more than just sitting on an airplane. Travel can be very exciting! There are so many ways to plan a trip, and so many places to see. Are you sure you've got what it takes? Use the tips in this article to help you get started. Don't use the public computers in your hotel or anywhere else they offer free internet while you are on vacation. Unscrupulous individuals may have installed keyloggers or other malware on these public computers to steal your information. Keep a picture of your child in your wallet just in case they ever get lost. It can be terrifying to lose your son or daughter. The fact remains, however, that it is not unheard of. Easy access to a photograph of the child can facilitate any necessary search efforts in they get lost. Be wise about food allergies when visiting a foreign country to avoid dangerous liaisons. Learn the words for foods to which you are allergic in the native tongue of the country you are visiting, especially if your reactions are severe. If you do this, you can avoid ordering anything that you may be allergic to, and if need be, alert medical professionals of any allergies. If you are a visitor to foreign cities, keep your eyes open for thieves that might be dressed as law enforcement or government personnel. Do not give over your personal information, as you could end up with no identification fast. If they are insistent about detaining you, ask to walk to the office. Do not get rides with strangers. Before booking, do some research. Use websites that allow users to review destinations. Ask other people that have traveled there. If you do adequate research, there will be a less likelihood of a bad experience when you arrive at your destination. You should have a door stopper when you are going to get a hotel room. There are times when extra security is a good idea. If your hotel room door is lacking an adequate lock, you can use a wedge-shaped doorstop to hold it in place. Traveling away from home can often result in you carrying along too many belongings. To make sure you do not bring too much, take only the toiletries you really need. List all the toiletries use typically use every day and you really need. Pack only the ones which are most important. When traveling by air, wear loose, comfortable shoes that can be removed easily. You may need to take your shoes off during security checks. Your level of comfort is crucial. When you are in the airport or on the airplane, you will sit more than you will walk, so having good arch supports is not the most important thing. Sandals of flip-flops are great when traveling by air. There is so much more to traveling than just taking a trip to a new place. By taking the time to plan, you will ensure that you have a great time. The tips provided in this article should give you a good idea of what your next step is going to be.

ทัวร์ญี่ปุ่นเกาหลี

[tuku81]

แวะทำงานแป๊บ เดี๋ยวค่อยเที่ยวต่อ #ทำงานสัก2 3 เดือน #ไปเที่ยวสัก4 5 วัน #ยังไงๆ #sapporo #hokkaido : Former Hokkaido Government Office Building