Sapporo: In Beer We Trust

From Kyoto we headed to the airport to catch a flight on JAL.  This would be the first time traveling on JAL and the experience would prove to be interesting (but not nearly as interesting as the flight into Tokyo).  When we boarded the airplane everything seemed to be in order, but when the flight started the movie screen showed a camera shot that must have been on the nose of the plane.  Now I may have mentioned that I�m not the best flyer in the world, and this new camera view didn�t help things any.  The feeling of nausea was amplified about ten fold when the plane took off.  Seeing the plane climb then level off made my stomach to barrel rolls.  The only thing going through my head was, �I hope they don�t do this for the landing.�

Hokkaido is supposed to be the coolest of the five islands of Japan.  However, when we landed I can�t say it felt that much different from Kyoto.  We were going to be staying in the biggest city on Hokkaido, which is Sapporo.  People may know about Sapporo beer, but I�ll get to that a bit later.  Upon arriving in Sapporo, we found that we wouldn�t be staying in the normal college dorm or hostel; instead we were staying at the Hotel Sapporo Mets.  Now I thought that this was rather amusing seeing as how my favorite baseball team is the NY Mets.  Anyway, we were given our room assignments and it worked out that I was staying my friend Tetsuo.  Having two people to a room, as opposed to the 6 or 7 that shared a room in Kyoto was rather pleasant.  We had a nice view from the floor we were on (don�t ask me which floor, it�s been a while) and I do have a picture taken from the room window.  It was at night so it makes things a bit difficult to see.

During the next week we were to be using some space provided by Hokkaido University to have our table meetings.  Our table however was able to take a trip along with the Security Issues table to Chitose Air Force Base (thus the picture of me in an F-16 J).  We also took a trip to the JSDF army base where we took a tank ride, which was mighty fun.  But those weren�t nearly the best things that happened. 

While we were in Sapporo we were invited to one of the many beer gardens in the center of Sapporo (I don�t have a map so I can�t really check).  The one we were invited to happened to be the Sapporo Beer Company.  Until then I hadn�t really had a lot to drink since some parties back home, but for some odd reason I decided to have about four or five pints of the local brew.  I think that was the first time in a long time that I was able to control myself and not get excruciatingly sick after consuming alcohol.  This helped me enjoy all the events of the evening.  While we were at the beer garden a few of the delegates were able to make it on stage (in the background of the picture) and compete in a drink off.  I can�t remember everybody up there but I think it was Tetsuya and Sarah that helped the JASCer�s beat out some locals.  I guess it was a good way to have some group bonding J. 

One last thing remained to be done while we were in Sapporo, and that was a home stay.  It worked out that we would be going to a home stay family with our roommates at the hotel, so Tetsuo and I are were going to the same family for an overnight.  The couple we stayed with was extremely nice and I had a good time just sitting around and talking (and drinking and eating).  The couple also had a dog, which unfortunately was blind.  The dog made me a little homesick because I did miss my dog, but I�d be back in the U.S. soon enough.  I also had the chance to play some chess with the husband and Tetsuo, I�m not the best chess player by any stretch of the imagination, but I managed to win a game or two.  We also went to a local teahouse that night and enjoyed a cup of tea in the outskirts of the city, which was also very pleasant.  All in all I had a really good time, I just wish the weather were as mild as it is supposed to be.  The next afternoon we had to get to the airport and our home stay family was kind enough to give us a lift.  We gave them a JASC t-shirt and some local candy from Kyoto in thanks for their kindness, and said our farewells.

Back or Next