Item From the Past: Sapporo, 1993

September 29, 1993

Up early & had the hotel breakfast, then to Hakodate M. Market, where Yuriko bought omiyage for shipment to Osaka. The train ride to Sapporo wasn't particularly picturesque. At Sapporo we first wandered through the campus of Hokkaido University, making the acquaintance of Dr. William Clark (or rather his statue), the gaijin expert hired to found an ag college on Hokkaido in the late 19th century, the ancestor of the modern university.

[As he was leaving his post, Clark told his students, "Boys, be ambitious." It's a well-known phrase in Japan. In 2000, I saw a commercial on Japanese TV for Lawson, a convenience store, that had a former sumo star say, "Boys, be ambitious. Onigiri, be delicious." (Onigiri are rice balls).]

Later, saw the old red-brick gov't building with its Old Clock Tower. It started raining about then.

After finding our hotel -- the Hotel Arthur -- we went out again, to the Sapporo Biergarten, which is part of the Sapporo Beer Museum, a fine 19th-century structure -- more brick! -- with the Sapporo Beer red star in various places. Stuffed ourselves with Korean barbecue and beer. Felt a little light-headed, but full-stomached, by the end of dinner.