Sapporo
I had the opportunity to visit Sapporo for a few days in late May, a lovely time for a city proud of its liliacs and wisteria. Sapporo is a northern city, and even is Spring there are signs that this is a place famous for its winter festival of ice sculpture. The spring winds have an edge on them to remind you that winter has not left for good. The people here have a remarkable familiarity with Maine's cold-weather clothier L.L.Bean, whose climate they share.
The city is new by Japanese standards, and it an urban enclive in largely-rural Hokkaido. Guide books describe the city as one of Japans liveliest. This page shows some ordinary views of the city, ordinary for the residents, that is, but novel to the Western visitor.
Morning
in Sapporo finds most shops closed, and commuters headed for work.
McDonald's
is one of the few places to get Western style breakfast food. Coffee most
places was very good, but at McDonald's it tasted very strange.
Back
streets sometimes provide a glimpse of an older style of Japanese city
buildings.
Streams
flow from the mountains down through Sapporo on their way to the ocean.
The streams provide unexpected relief from the urban environment, and they
help set Sapporo apart from other Japanese cities. This carp-populated
waterway was sandwiched among city blocks.
Restaurant
advertise with detailed posters. Seafood specialties often get top billing.
Throughout
Japan, the custom is for restaurants to display accurate wax models of
the food served. Originally designed to acquaint the Japanese population
with newly imported foreign dishes, the custom now helps foreign visitors.
This
flower shop epitomizes the many small specialty shows in the city. There
are a number of large malls, but the department stores still reign supreme.
Few retail stores open much before 11 AM.
Evening
is when Sapporo really starts to hum.
This
feast tasted every bit as good as it looked. The Sapporo brewing tradition ensures
that great beer will be available as well.
Downtown
night life streams under colorful signs. The invention of blue light emitting
diodes has brought forth a new generation of full color video displays.