Tokyo Calling : Another Landscape of Japan » Hokkaido

BACKCOUNTRY SNOWBOARD / FURANO HOKKAIDO

Kenji Harada — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 17:15:42 +0000

Furano (富良野市 Furano-shi) is a city in the prefecture of Hokkaido located in the southern reaches of Kamikawa Subprefecture, under whose jurisdiction it resides. Well known throughout Japan as a tourism destination, it is famous for its lavender fields, the television drama Kita no Kuni kara and the Furano Ski Resort, which held the Snowboarding World Cup in recent years.

As of 2009, the city has an estimated population of 24,493 and a density of 40.8 persons per km² (106 persons per sq. mi.). The total area is 600.97 km2 (232.04 sq mi).

YOSAKOI-CHITOSE

Kenji Harada — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 16:13:54 +0000

Yosakoi (よさこい) is a unique style of dance that originated in Japan. Yosakoi started in the city of Kōchi in 1954, as a modern rendition of Awa Odori, a traditional summer dance. Yosakoi-style dancing has spread throughout much of Japan. The style of dance is highly energetic, combining traditional Japanese dance movements with modern music. The choreographed dances are often performed by large teams. Along with a number of professional yosakoi schools and town dance teams, yosakoi is also a popular event during the sports festivals held by Japanese elementary, junior, and senior high schools. Yosakoi participants include men and women of almost all ages – sometimes within a single team.

Sapporo : Snowboarding

Kenji Harada — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 20:19:35 +0000

Sapporo is known outside Japan for having hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics, the first ever held in Asia, and for the city’s annual Yuki Matsuri, internationally referred to as the Sapporo Snow Festival, which draws more than 2 million tourists from around the world. The city is also home to Sapporo Brewery and the famous white chocolate biscuits called shiroi koibito (白い恋人, “white sweetheart”).

LOVE JAPAN

Kenji Harada — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 13:27:11 +0000

Directed, filmed and edited by: David Parkinson
moonship.com.au
Music: Bon Iver – Holocene (Message to Bears Remix)
soundcloud.com/messagetobears