From there, I joined the main road and continued towards Nagawa, and then climbed up to a hillside field overlooking the tidal plain. Here I present part of the evening parade in three movements, sunlight, twilight and starlight.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
A Fine Evening in Nagawa
After three days of rain, I awoke this morning to deep blue, cloud-dappled skies. Everything, including the air, had been washed clean by the rain. The hills are coming alive in their new green, and farmers are busy flooding their fields for the summer rice crop. After lunch, I caught a local train to Usu station, 45 minutes to the southwest, where I back tracked along the coastal roads. The wind was up and whipping little, white-capped waves along Volcano Bay, where I climbed a hill to a tiny shrine and watched a southbound freight motor by on the mainline.
From there, I joined the main road and continued towards Nagawa, and then climbed up to a hillside field overlooking the tidal plain. Here I present part of the evening parade in three movements, sunlight, twilight and starlight.
From there, I joined the main road and continued towards Nagawa, and then climbed up to a hillside field overlooking the tidal plain. Here I present part of the evening parade in three movements, sunlight, twilight and starlight.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Getting Around to Getting in Shape
It was a warm, spring day in southern Hokkaido, and I was homeward bound on the Etomo peninsula, nearing the end of a 20-km bike ride. The low road follows the railway out the peninsula from Higashi Muroran station, and the ride is flat on a wide, uncluttered sidewalk as far as Misaki station. That’s where the hills begin. There are four altogether, and while none are very long or steep, all are substantial enough that, just a few short years ago, I would have been down to my lowest gear, standing up on the pedals, and sucking hard for air.
Not after nearly two years in Asia.
I cruised up the first hill, and when I was halfway up the second, I couldn’t help but break into an ear-to-ear grin. My legs were keeping cadence in the middle of my gear range, and I was shifting up to take the hill faster.
Coming from an asthmatic, un-athletic childhood (I played zero sports growing up), I couldn’t be happier – or more pleasantly surprised – with the level of fitness I’ve attained in Japan. The surprise comes because I didn’t come here looking for fitness. In fact, I rarely exercise for the sake of exercising. The change has come on a far more basic level.
In Japan, my wife and I don’t own a car. Five years ago, as a new college graduate about to embark on a Great American Road Trip, the thought of not owning a car was unimaginable. The automobile symbolized freedom, the ability to point myself down any open road and just go. And go fast. But after 80,000 miles in the next three years, I was burning myself out. So when Maureen asked if we should try to get a car in Japan, my response was, “No.” More than anything, I wanted to see if I could actually live without my own car.
Now, as we prepare to return to the U.S. this summer, one of things I’m most dreading is driving again. I’m dreading the stop-and-go traffic of rush hour, the looong suburban streets of endless traffic lights and stop signs, and the hours of my life that I’ll forever lose to focusing on the road. Books on CD will help there, but even so, they aren’t the same as actually reading, or writing on my iBook, or just staring contemplatively out the window.
One thing I hope I don’t lose is the firmness I’ve found in my thighs and quadriceps. Nights at the gym aren’t the answer for me. My only hope is by refusing to drive any distance that I’m able to cover on two feet or two wheels. That won’t always be easy in a country where many main roads don’t even have sidewalks, but I’m determined. I’ve already told Maureen that we can only get one small car for the two of us to share (and two nice bikes). She’s willing to try, but has her doubts. To tell the truth, I do, too, so for any of you who we’ll be seeing stateside in the months ahead, we’d really appreciate your support. For anyone else who happens to be reading, encouragement is always welcome.
All the same, I’m excited to try. Besides, maybe I’m looking at it all wrong. To turn this around, despite all the convenient public transportation in Japan, I was still able to get into shape. Just think of the exercise I can get in the U.S. without so much public transit.
Not after nearly two years in Asia.
I cruised up the first hill, and when I was halfway up the second, I couldn’t help but break into an ear-to-ear grin. My legs were keeping cadence in the middle of my gear range, and I was shifting up to take the hill faster.
Coming from an asthmatic, un-athletic childhood (I played zero sports growing up), I couldn’t be happier – or more pleasantly surprised – with the level of fitness I’ve attained in Japan. The surprise comes because I didn’t come here looking for fitness. In fact, I rarely exercise for the sake of exercising. The change has come on a far more basic level.
In Japan, my wife and I don’t own a car. Five years ago, as a new college graduate about to embark on a Great American Road Trip, the thought of not owning a car was unimaginable. The automobile symbolized freedom, the ability to point myself down any open road and just go. And go fast. But after 80,000 miles in the next three years, I was burning myself out. So when Maureen asked if we should try to get a car in Japan, my response was, “No.” More than anything, I wanted to see if I could actually live without my own car.
Now, as we prepare to return to the U.S. this summer, one of things I’m most dreading is driving again. I’m dreading the stop-and-go traffic of rush hour, the looong suburban streets of endless traffic lights and stop signs, and the hours of my life that I’ll forever lose to focusing on the road. Books on CD will help there, but even so, they aren’t the same as actually reading, or writing on my iBook, or just staring contemplatively out the window.
One thing I hope I don’t lose is the firmness I’ve found in my thighs and quadriceps. Nights at the gym aren’t the answer for me. My only hope is by refusing to drive any distance that I’m able to cover on two feet or two wheels. That won’t always be easy in a country where many main roads don’t even have sidewalks, but I’m determined. I’ve already told Maureen that we can only get one small car for the two of us to share (and two nice bikes). She’s willing to try, but has her doubts. To tell the truth, I do, too, so for any of you who we’ll be seeing stateside in the months ahead, we’d really appreciate your support. For anyone else who happens to be reading, encouragement is always welcome.
All the same, I’m excited to try. Besides, maybe I’m looking at it all wrong. To turn this around, despite all the convenient public transportation in Japan, I was still able to get into shape. Just think of the exercise I can get in the U.S. without so much public transit.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
The Evening Train
Muroran station is at the end of an 8-km branchline on the Etomo Peninsula. There are 23 passenger trains per day in each direction, running to and from the junction with the mainline at Higashi-Muroran (higashi=east). Usually, to go very far from Muroran, you have to change trains in Higashi-Muroran. However, five of the trains are direct expresses to and from Sapporo. They're four cars long (the longest on the branchline) and carry the name "Suzuran," or "Lily of the Valley."
Going from Muroran to Sapporo, there are two departures in the morning, one at midday, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening. The evening train leaves at 7:15pm, and in the long days of late spring and early summer, that's right around sunset. Hence, it's one of my favorite trains to photograph.
Here are some takes from the past two weeks.
May 2:
May 7:
May 15:
Going from Muroran to Sapporo, there are two departures in the morning, one at midday, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening. The evening train leaves at 7:15pm, and in the long days of late spring and early summer, that's right around sunset. Hence, it's one of my favorite trains to photograph.
Here are some takes from the past two weeks.
May 2:
May 7:
May 15:
Cherry Blossoms
It's the middle of May, and nearly two months after the first cherry trees starting blooming in southern Japan, the pink-and-white blossoms have finally come to Hokkaido. On Saturday, Maureen and I took a short trip to Date (dah-tay), the next city to the west, where we found the trees along the Kimonbetsu River in full bloom. There were also a few trees next to the railway, so (with Maureen's patience), I had to try some trees-and-trains photos.
Super Hokuto limited express bound for Sapporo.
Twilight Express night train bound for Osaka.
I think they came out looking a little "forced," but with only six trees at the back of a vacant lot, the angles were few. I've seen some beautiful rail photography in Japan, but it seems that even the Japanese photographers often struggle to find "natural" compositions of trains and cherry blossoms.
As always, comments are welcome.
Super Hokuto limited express bound for Sapporo.
Twilight Express night train bound for Osaka.
I think they came out looking a little "forced," but with only six trees at the back of a vacant lot, the angles were few. I've seen some beautiful rail photography in Japan, but it seems that even the Japanese photographers often struggle to find "natural" compositions of trains and cherry blossoms.
As always, comments are welcome.
Coming Back
I think it's time I did some blogging again. While I was teaching, I kept a journal, but for a number of reasons those writings weren't very suitable for my blog. Now that I've finished, I've lost that direction for my journal, and I'm hoping that by re-invigorating my blog, I'll find some new incentive for writing. I'll also use this an online photo diary.
In the meantime, I'm also working on a more polished, permanent online home for some of my best stories and photos. Look for an announcement in the near future.
In the meantime, I'm also working on a more polished, permanent online home for some of my best stories and photos. Look for an announcement in the near future.
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