Kimonos and Bright Lights

Yes, that's what's up. Yesterday was the beginning of the 26th Sapporo White Illumination, which means that Odori Park and some surrounding avenues and boulevards are light up with bright lights of various colours. It's quite nice, but I'll bet you 100yen it'll get even more beautiful once snow settles in Sapporo, which shouldn't take long, as the surrounding mountains are already partly covered in the white substance.
As winter approaches, the wind turns chilly, the rain becomes icy, and of course, the temperature goes down gradually. So what do you do to prepare for winter? Buy a thermos, maybe an electric blanket, a winter jacket, some warm, sturdy winter boots, and of course, a kimono. What? Yes, a kimono. You know, the traditional Japanese outfit they wear in all those old movies about samurais and geishas and such. Alright, I admit a kimono is not the best choice for winter clothing, but it was only 1575yen, which is basically almost free.
The story behind me buying a kimono, a men's kimono to be exact (women's are a bit different, and very colourful), is a short one, so bear with me. Today, a small group of us HUSTEP students went under the guidance of Tokita sensei, our Japanese culture and art history teacher, to a second-hand kimono store in Shi-Sapporo, the eastern part of the city. The shop was abounding with used kimonos, mostly for women, but to the pleasant surprise of the male audience, there were some men's kimonos as well. Yvonne and Carole got themselves dressed up in some kimonos of their choice by the shopkeepers (two very helpful and charming people by the way) and after a short while we boys followed example and got some "manly" kimonos on. After finding out how cheap the used kimonos actually turned out to be, almost every one of us bought one. I know I will not be using the kimono very often, but it is a very nice, original memento from Japan.
And that's about all I have to say about that. Take care people. Peace. Love. and stuff..

Aki

Japan's short autumn, ablaze in colour, is coming to an end. Luckily I was able to capture a few shades of its magnificent pallette before the leaves were swept away by the cool Hokkaido winds. Sopo sensei was right. As nice as Finnish autumn is, it cannot compete with its Japanese counterpart. The only downside to the autumn here is that it is relatively short, as the leaves drop rather soon after having changed colour. But if you're lucky enough to be in Japan (or some other country with a stunning, supercolourful and fresh autumn), you're bound to be impressed.
Hokkaido's autumn attracts tourists from all over Japan, coming to see the Botanical Garden, the Hokudai campus, Odori Park, as well as the surrounding mountains and towns. The university campus is famous for its various attractions, such as the Gingko Avenue, the Poplar Avenue and the Central Lawn. Nearby mountains, such as Moiwa and Maruyama are also on the must-see-and-do list of almost everyone, locals included. On the winding paths of the mountains, one can witness a cross section of the Japanese people, an indication of the popularity and the obvious value of the locations. One trip also worth making is to Otaru, a small port town near Sapporo, which is easily accessible by bus or train. Otaru is well-known for it's glass products, as well as old warehouses which now serve as facilities for restaurants and shoppes. Arguably the most beautiful attraction, however, is Ungadori, a small, stone paved river, serving as a backdrop for various activities and festivals.
Having indeed witnessed and experienced all the abovementioned locales and sights, I can without hesitation recommend a trip to Hokkaido, Japan, for anyone interested in experiencing Mother Nature in one of her most beautiful forms. With this, I rest my case and say peace.