Prada, Raman, and Tractors

I've been in Japan for nearly three weeks now and haven't really talked about my city, Sapporo, which is Japan's fifth largest city and one of the newest, most Western-like cities in the country. It's super clean, friendly, and laid back.  I love walking the tree-lined streets and keeping my eye out for all of the many festivals and events going on, all while pretending that I don't really stand out (or up, if we're talking height).

Suffering from "Eiffel Tower Inferiority Complex," the Sapporo TV Tower is one of the city's most recognized and most visited sites.  It's especially popular during the winter, when you can get a fantastic view of Odori Park and all of the brilliant snow sculptures during the Snow Festival in February.

More pics of Odori Park, sans Beer Festival:

Akarenga, which means Red Bricks, is the former Hokkaido government building and present tourist site.

Eri and faces...thrown in for personal-effect:

Restaurants abound...shops galore (everything from Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany to 100 yen shops and Hello Kitty boutiques):

This is Raman Alley...a tiny space crowded with about 18 raman shops (yet ANOTHER speciality that Sapporo and Hokkaido are known for!).

Miso raman...aka, hot good lovin'

Hokkaido has the sweetest sweet-corn I have ever tasted in my life!  Seriously, this stuff is like candy...I've never had anything like it before (and I'm from the Midwest!!).  Summertime means loads of roasted sweet-corn stands everywhere.  It's even better topped with creamy Hokkaido butter, making what I like to call "Agriculture-On-A-Stick" (whereas stick equals cob).  

Odori at dusk:

Sapporo Station...our biggest subway/train/bus hub with shopping and department stores galore.  It's pretty much it's own functional city powered by high heels and neon (clothes, that is...more on Japanese fashion later...)

Around my neck of the woods--city--things are a bit calmer.  The thing that fascinates me about this city is it's huge connection and recognition of agriculture.  In terms of food, they are all about local, local, local here, which I love!  In fact, most houses have some kind of garden in their yards consisting of tomatoes, potatoes, melons, and...CORN:

Sunflowers are another staple in these gardens as well.  Strangely enough, though, I've never seen packets of sunflower seeds in any of the stores:

Just a ways down from my house and school is, you guessed it, a farm!  I think it has some historical importance, but I can't read what the sign says.  It does have horses and chickens, although they were not to be seen today:

And right across the street is...my grocery store, Big House!  Don't let the comforting English trick you.  Inside is one of the most frightening things I've experienced, if not for the sheer volume of new and curious treats, than for the intimidating foreign characters screaming out to me (much like the lights in Tokyo) that I'm illiterate.  When I shop for groceries, I like to play games such as "Is This Tuna or Cat Food?" and "What Did These Eyes/Eggs/Parts Belong To?"

To be completely random, I'd like to end with a compelling photo from our JET Sapporo Orientation Welcome enkai (all you can eat/drink party) held at the Kirin Beer Garden this week.  Being as we're all government-employed teachers, the extent of internet-posted pics from our "gatherings"  is usually rather limited:

See all of the fun you can have in Sapporo!?