In which Sid and Doris visit a post-war city.
While the Hilton will host the prize giving dinner with Gerard’s excellent slide show and film in a very smart banqueting hall the rooms are much as before. Some crews could barely get their luggage into the room, though this says as much about the glamorous crew member as about the kei hotel rooms.
But what of this, for Sid and Doris will go out. All gone to look for Yamato, as Simon and Garfunkel might have sung. Yamato is one of many names for Japan. Japan is an exonym – a name used outside the country- where Nihon is the usual local use. The spelling of Yamato uses the symbol for peaceful, and was the name of the most powerful battleship in the WW2 Japanese navy (with the largest guns ever fitted to a battleship). Around 1.300 Marco Polo called Japan Cipangu, after his reading of the Chinese spelling. Anyway, I digress. As Ronnie Corbett was wont to say.
The city museum beckons, providing charming water colours of local trades, such as selling thick malt syrup.
S and D take the 312 bus downtown to visit the Kushida-Jinja Shrine …
… and the portable version below (zoom in on this and look for the people) …
… and a museum of times past, where Sid and Riku, a child much the age of Sid’s school kids, lift just one pole used to carry the float.
It is Oktober and time for a fest at the Reisen park, though it is Sapporo that is twinned with Munich.
As you can see there will be a German band with compulsory accordion and Munich beer, though not mentioning this will be £9 a pint. Bavarian flags are everywhere so S and D will be there to help.
We sat with mother in her yukata and daughter who have large steins and smiles. As have S and D. Steins and smiles. The band is terribly appropriate. I think those words are in the right order.
This girl has not previously drunk a lot of beer …
But these people have done their share.
It’s almost like being there, isn’t it?
And that’s where we leave Sid, Doris and the 2025 Islands of Japan Marathon.