I just settled in at the Niseko Higashiyama Prince Hotel Tower on Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan. Having only visited inhabited areas of Japan, I’ve never seen a one car JR train, but I rode in one today that chugged through some pretty desolate areas. I’m up here to get some snowboarding in during the holidays with the Tajimas (I am a friend of the family). While in Hakodate, I visited the Hokunyu dairy processing and packaging plant and tasted some kick ass yogurt, milk, and butter (more on this later).
All I can say is that is absolutely freezing up here. Yes, you can say that I’m a pussy when it comes to cold since I’m from Los Angeles. It’s currently -4 deg C here in Niseko. Anyhow, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or whichever doesn’t offend you.
While on the train from Hakodate to um…..somewhere (I can’t remember the name).
Right outside the JR station in Niseko.
The one car train was on this deserted lonely set of tracks. The one car train ran over a baby wild cat of some kind while I was watching. The train made a crunching sound as we rolled over it….
BTW, don’t party too hard on New Years. And if you don’t, I’ll do enough partying for you and I combined while in Tokyo. Happy new years too in case I don’t post until 2008.