| Wednesday, February 22, 2006 |
| Hakkoda-san with the Tairaa-sama Seven |
 Here is the lodge where we stayed-- it was very homey, with great staff, amazing food, and cushy futons. I went as part of the Powdertopia trip that is organized through a JET outdoors interest group. This segment of the trip was to Mount Hakkoda, and there were 7 of us, though 3 of them had also been skiing the first part of the week up on Hokkaido.
 This is Ashizawa-san, a rockstar ojiisan that runs the lodge and has travelled all over the world climbing mountains. He'd be buzzed on sake every single night, and when he thought that we weren't understanding his slurred Japanese, he'd start yelling "Sensei! Sensei!" to Johnny to make him translate for us.
 Here's our group-- the Tairaa-sama Seven, so named because of our daily table placard. (L to R) Hawaiian party animal Keala and his food baby; Aussie Michael; Heyward of the deadpan humor and eclectic iPod library; Dear Liza; our fearless leader Tyler-sama; me; Squid Fisherman Johnny "Big Air" Kirkham. Actually, Johnny isn't really a squid fisherman, but he does play one on TV. He was featured on national television singing an enka song in Japanese called "My Brother's Boat" while decked out in full squidman gear. He was gonged off the stage quickly, but if being 6 feet tall and blond doesn't make him famous enough in this country, I bet that show gave him quite the following in rural Hokkaido. Johnny-- the man, the mystery: loved by shogakusei, worshipped by obaachans, feared by squid.
 The boys playing poker in the room.
 Tyler-sama tests the "cushy futon" theory by leaping from the loft...
 ...and he's still alive on impact! Cushy indeed!
 At the top of the mountain, all the trees inexplicably look like creatures from outer space. A lot of tourists would ride the ropeway trolley up, take pictures of the snow monsters, and go back down. They look quite cool until you find yourself alone among them and you swear they're about to start charging towards you.
 I thought this looked like a lion. Or maybe a duck. Wild and wooley!
   
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posted by Raychaa @ 12:26 AM  |
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Awesome photos GTR! It makes me wanna kick myself for not signing up for this trip, but I guess I can do it next year once I've bought myself some proper clothes!
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Name: Raychaa
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About Me: “No man, not even a doctor, ever gives any other definition of what a nurse should be than this - 'devoted and obedient'. This definition would do just as well for a porter. It might even do for a horse. It would not do for a policeman.” (Florence Nightingale)
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Awesome photos GTR! It makes me wanna kick myself for not signing up for this trip, but I guess I can do it next year once I've bought myself some proper clothes!