The Centennial Memorial Tower and Nopporo Forest ParkSo I couldn’t help it.

Everyday I ride past this giant tower. It makes me think I’m more in Qo’noS (the Klingon Homeworld) then Sapporo, Japan, Earth. (don’t ask me how I know that).

I had to figure out what this thing is all about… So after the flea mart trip, I headed over to this tower thing.

I didn’t know what route to take, only that If I headed toward it on my bike, I’d get to it eventually. So on some unknown road I began to ride to this tall tower… the road became a dirt path and I was running my bike and me through bushes and bamboo heading somewhere on some path to nowhere. I kept riding and riding not knowing where I was headed. I felt that this tower was more like the pot of gold you find at the end of a rainbow.

Eventually I ran into a sign in all kanji pointing to the tower. I followed it.

the path went up and was very steep. I had to get off my bike and walk the bike up to another point, where I couldn’t push the bike anymore. So I had to carry it the rest of the way.
I felt myself being transformed from a regular guy to some super monk trying to prove myself to some karate Master at the top of this mountain.

Eventually the trail opened up and it was my first view of the tower and the fields. It was a remarkable glory that is just undescribeable.

I had entered another relm of Japan. People were playing, throwing freezbee’s, sitting in the grass, having fun. I took my bike and began to navigate this other paradise. I knew I was in Hokkaido, I knew I was in Sapporo, but it felt different.

It was a happy place, I liked it.

The tower itself was a monument to Hokkaido’s entrence into the Japanese union (or empire). It was supposed to represent the people of Hokkaido not the people of Japan. It’s message was clear, this tower is for the people of Hokkaido who, while continuing to make progress in medicine and industry, need to look back and be reminded of their roots as the people of Hokkaido.

The tower doubled as a great observitory. The stairs up weren’t too bad and the observation deck was only 8 floors up. It was impressive to see so far out. To see the park and the city of Sapporo.

Going down the stairs I caught a pic of this groovy sign. The message is supposed to be no tagging, but I like this version better.

The rest of the park is beautiful. The park is like a giant wildlife park with small hiking trails that go around the park. The Park itself is called the Nopporo Forest Park. There’s many different facilities and things to see in it. Some of the Facilities are the Centennial Tower, Vistor’s Center, Historical Museum of Hokkaido, Historical Village, Archaeological Operations Center, and Forest House. Some other day I’ll have to take a long trip in this park and look at all the cool stuff. At the park they have wild wildlife like flying squirls, Black Woodpeckers, and Chestnut-cheeked Starlings. Pretty cool eh?

I should point out that this massive park is about 4-6 minutes away by bike. Their wildflower selection is also pretty exotic with Chishima-azami a “tribble” looking plant that is all spiky, or the Zazenso that looks really bazzar.

Yeah.. the kids were catching butterflies and it was a happy place I’d like to take all of you too.

~J out

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