Japan. Part6.

We slowly, enjoying re-surging us Japan defeated Odori Park, and our first full day in Sapporo smoothly passed for equator. Next we had one of the city's museums. What we were waiting, I imagined, to put it mildly, mediocre, because the overwhelming majority of Japanese (Tokyo does not count) - sites not too concerned about the problems of information support people who do not know Japanese language. However, we were in General does not matter. Walk through the Japanese streets, as I've said before, for me personally is a sufficient end in itself.

A cultural object to which we are headed is referred to as "Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art". Frankly, comparing the cost of attending and the approximate contents of the Museum at the information stands in the main lobby, we decided to save on high ))) And God to us the judge. But we were not so well fed and not so much cultural impulses spiritualized, not to forgive myself for this act. To assess the adequacy of our decision You can, after examining the site of the Museum: http://www.aurora-net.or.jp/art/dokinbi/index.html

At the same time to make a couple of interesting photos at the Museum we were able.

But what really may seem to the eyes of the Russian Museum rarity — technical equipment of the entrance to the Museum. Brief background: the wet umbrellas to make public spaces in Japan are not welcome and this created all the conditions:

special racks outside of stores, where you can put the umbrella, so as not to fill the floor and other visitors of flowing water.
the extremely low number of thefts, well, that is especially to worry for the safety zone need not, if he will not be in place when You leave the store, it is likely that, due to confusion, not malice (cheap transparent umbrellas are from 100 yen, and they are filled on a rainy day and all the Japanese street) Like the stand, only with personal snaps was near the Museum. Simple, brilliant, easy!

Meanwhile, it's time to get off the asphalt on the ground. We quickly came upon the Park surrounding the Building (probably a Museum) the Governor of Hokkaido. Japanese parks... the Kingdom of silence, greenery and ponds... And even 100 pound Russian barbarian not able to significantly disrupt the established order of things, the patter of their feet the curious )))

Sapporo began to grow dark. Comes the final part of the day. Time to move on. The next destination was, for me as not clear in its content as attractive as its name. Place the "Tanuki Koji" really caught my attention at the stage of preparation for the trip to Sapporo. The thing is that I am a bastard with raccoons ))) Why? And God knows. It does not matter. But my eyes could not pass such inscriptions on the map. In fact, the Tanuki is not exactly raccoons, but raccoon dogs, but this part worries me a little. Tanuki is an integral part of Japanese mythology and modern life. Who will be interested can read the Internet or watch a cartoon thread on the subject (I can recommend). Reading in Russia short bits of information about this place I did not understand anything. What is this place? This is a store? The Museum? Bar? Area? To find out I failed. But I'm not really even trying to find out. Simply because if I go to Japan and see the map of the city the word Tanuki — I just put a tick ;)
But as it turned out in reality. Tanuki Koji was the street. Or rather part of it, but it is not easy and the large pedestrian street, surrounded by a dense development of buildings with countless shops, bars, restaurants and similar establishments. Top from the weather, the street enclosed by a roof, and across Tanuki koji cross the same street, and Odori Park.

To Tanuki does all of this have the attitude that a lot on this street is decorated in the appropriate theme. Roughly speaking, Tanuki — the official symbol of this place. They are everywhere, On the ceiling (blown), on the street and in stores (usually, sculptures made of wood), signs (painted) and so on.

anuki the Japanese at a premium. The reasons You can discover for yourself. I'll just warn you, if you do not know about one thing particularly distinguishes these creatures. The Tanuki, to use the terminology of the American comic book characters have super strength. But she, like many in Japan, very specific. What I'm saying? For what it's worth, just type in Google or Yandex "Tanuki" and go to "Pictures". View the first page would be sufficient. In General, the fact that the Japanese have a superpower called — for Russian serious urological disease )))

But not raccoons alive some Sapporo! It's hard to go to Sapporo and see the Russian cat. After all, it (Cat) was called Russian bar, which caught us while walking on Tanuki koji. The name for Japan (if the translation) should be quite good, knowing their love of felines.

Really figure out how to look at Japanese waitress kokoshnik, there are a few Russian tourists have jelly sticks and sounds like Japanese for "Your soup, my dear!" it was not meant to be. The bar was closed. I assumed that after a double serving of ravioli and a liter of white authentic owner of the bar just need a good night's sleep. But the subsequent days of stay in Sapporo showed that the bar was closed regularly and at different times of the day. Ruined the soup? I will never believe! Probably just all very tasty and the Japanese for half an hour all eat. As a staff member of the Russian bar doesn't want to come a little later and a little early to leave work? ;))) Here and get no luck on our specialties Yes pickles.

However, no matter how trying a homeland to call us to a gastronomic patriotism, the host country has slipped and slipped us fish-rice temptation and here we are, sitting at the sushi bar. And to be precise for kitana. Kaiten, if anyone knows, is constantly moving in a circle conveyor belt of dishes in the restaurant, which is lined with sumptuous food (in this case, mainly sushi) that you can pick up and eat (and if it's not rush hour and the dish is a little a little dried out — to show the finger to the desired option and get a freshly cooked dish). Depending on the value of the dishes it is served on plates of different colors. The final check is determined by the amount remaining after the visitor's plates and their coloring, which at the end of the meal uses a smiling waitress (at least the waiter). In the center kitana is a chef who quickly and skillfully fulfills the wishes of customers. In General — cool )))

In General, the theme of sushi for the Russian people of the new Millennium like a native. Currently in Krasnoyarsk for more than hundreds of establishments offer this dish in almost any supermarket are kits for the preparation of rolls and sold, how-to special for this dish, Fig. However, many in our country realize that in Japan these sushi probably taste better, fresher, fish them anymore and things like that. However, not all know that the russo-Japanese sushi and sushi that have little in common not only in workmanship but also in the recipe. Well, for example, rolls is in the menu Russian sushi bars for the largest part, while in the menu is the usual Japanese establishment, they constitute hardly more than a quarter of the list of dishes. As far as I know, sushi in the form in which they are familiar to us, came to Russia not from Japan and from the States, where Japanese bars in an attempt to adapt this specific dish under the American public from under a bamboo Mat and left the California rolls and Philadelphia. It turns out that the land in Russia is not a "statement of work", and "summary of the composition on the product. Simply put, Japanese sushi came to Russia on the principle of a broken phone. I do not criticize, do not think. On the contrary, not everyone will have to taste the recipe of sushi bars in Japan. I just want to say that sushi in Russia is hardly a Japanese dish. And those people who were in the land of the rising sun and was able to feel the beauty of a truly fresh fish, an impressive thickness of its plastics, a stunning figure and skills of chefs who do their business for decades — so it will be somewhat sad to see roll with dill during a business lunch at the Russian sushi bar.

But back to Japan. So, it is assumed that the kaiten-sushi bars serves 2 things on the plate, if not mortally be hungry, then we can be satisfied 5-6 portions. However, I'm a big boy and suffered with kitana as much as the past 2 years, so barely got to 10. And stopped me only the contents of my purse, but not the stomach. My will, to wash the employees of this bar up after me all night )))

It is also worth noting that in these bars in addition to the traditional for most institutions in Japan free ice water also available free of charge to use a nice powder green tea. On the table is a lot of mugs of tea and almost every Seating position are summed up to a special faucet with boiling water.
Taking into account of the yen (which as of the moment of photographing was around 41 rubles per 100 yen, and as of the time of this writing, about 35 rubles per 100 yen) You can understand that Japanese sushi are significantly cheaper Russian analogues. Quiet Russian evening we will cry a little bit for this reason, a drink, a bite a roll with cucumber and zabudetsya )))

But in the meantime, in Sapporo plates counted, tea drinking, smiling face of grandma waitresses left for the turn.

On Tanuki-koji, we will come back time and again in the course of our journey, and now need a little stroll along the streets gradually vechereyuschim Sapporo to settle in himself fifteen hundred yen in the fish-rice equivalent.

The distance between the houses in big Japanese cities is minimal. By the persistence of this approach to development sometimes gives the impression that you do not look between the houses, and peeping Tom.

In one of the shops Tanuki occupied entire racks, but at the top of their hierarchy somewhat naked plastic man-cub.

And again a little homeland. On the shelves of souvenir shops unequal fight with pokemon, anime and other Japanese spirits continue to live our Cheburashka! Thanks to him there is a hope that at least someone in addition to (or instead of) our Embassy defends the interests of Russia in the country of the rising sun.

Incidentally, in 2010, when I first was in Japan, I bought at one of the bookstores in Tokyo on stunning quality paper the book about adventures of Cheburashka, what unspeakably happy today.

In Sapporo dark. Shopping scary fast eat time. However not as scary as Japanese look young. They seem one and all are adapted to the face of the Japanese versions of Sergei Zverev. In General, the horror. And in order not to scare You, I photographed these instances back )))

Although if you move from form to content — it's not so bad. Hairstyle fresh — the Japanese are the same! ))) The hairspray does not prevent to be to these guys helpful and polite in dealing with stupid hydroname who can't find, for example, a cinema.

Sapporo night is just lit up signs, taxi lights and neon of the love hotels

There is a widespread belief that Japan is in a certain sense the country of the future.
I met my future in one of the shopping centers )))

As many of You may know, in Japan almost every eatery in the window puts a very high quality dummy your own food. Interestingly, the original is always fully consistent in the window. And this is for the Russian people, as a rule, in itself (regardless of flavor) is already a pleasant surprise.

Boat to photograph in one of the shopping centers. So that the visitors do not spoil the frame, a caring administration has already placed on the floor point the optimal location of the photographer )))

Along the way we meet one of the most famous (and, forgive me, residents of Sapporo, boring) minutes of the capital of Hokkaido — Sapporo Clock Tower. The population of the city is a historic place, and for us — just a photo for memory. In memory of the friendly Japanese people who offered us their services for photography. Of course with a smile on her face. Itself unselfishly.

The second day of the trip to Sapporo left forces.

But in Japan force does not seem to end. We fall asleep, and the city continues to watch. Probably tirelessly preparing for our plans for tomorrow ;)

Japan. Part6.

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