Damo Suzuki with Ken Matsutani (Guitar), Toru Watanabe (Guitar) and Qodibop: Tohru Iioka (Bass, Sampler), Fumio Motoyama (Guitar, Sampler) and Makoto Saito (Drums)
Friendly sound carriers friend Watanabe picked me up from Sin-Chitose airport that is quite far from Sapporo (by train around 40 minutes). Normally here must be meter high snow at this time of the year. I saw melting snow on here and there not much like I thought. Global warming?
Sapporo is not an old city, which has atmosphere of Scandinavian countries. People here eat many potatoes than any other place in Japan. They have dairy farming, farms are much like Scandinavian style. Hokkaido lives not that much people 67 person/quad. km, which is a bit more than Ireland. And food here..I tell you later ..specially, fish is amazing. Relaxed at Watanabes for a while. Met Ken (Cpt.trip) at the venue. He promised me to come to Sapporo and perform with me. He has been Network sound carrier for sometimes. I perform with Watanabe for first time. Son and daughter of my brother Hiro came to the show. Chihiro, his daughter lives here, didn’t see her for 15 years or some thing. She is now growing up (surly) and now a beautiful young lady; probably if I see her on the street I cannot recognize her. Shyu is his son and two years younger lives by his parents came here to pick me up.
After this show I will have 2 and half days break at Hiros place. After show like usual went to Izakaya, even it was after midnight there was many young people (Now a days there are only young people if I see from my sight anyway) Next day Shyu came and pick me up at Japanese traditional noodle (Soba) restaurant. I ate first time Soba-sushi. Instead of rice, use soba noodle in roll.
After last drink of Uhron-hai, we start for 2 hours driving to Niseko, a quite famous place for winter sports, one of best quality snow in the world. Many Australian comes here for Ski and Aussies own some of Ski ground. Outside window I see heavy clouds if next moment they’re falling on the earth.. and also here is the north this time of the year soon getting dark. He stopped at some places to show his uncle from Germany some beautiful views. Shyu took 3 days holiday to attend me. He likes to come abroad one day. I didn’t see Hero for one and half year, he is working as kind of guard or housekeeper at a dormitory. So, he is cooking for schoolboys and girls too. He likes to cook like me, so if I visit here, food is no problem good homemade dinner. I saw his wife Akiko for a while, she lives in an another place not far from here.
Next day Shyu pick me up by his car, went to Yoichi. I know Yoichi for Whisky. Nikka Whisky comes from here..no wonder Temperature here is quite like Highland, Scotland. Also peat that is very important to produce Whisky may found here. We went to one restaurant which was not that tasty (but, better than any Japanese restaurant abroad.) with Australian flag hanging at the window, seems to be many foreigners (Specially Aussies) comes here even they had menu with English translation which was quite surprise for me at place like this at countryside.
This part of Japan is quite silence and feeling like I came to the end of the world, feel like if I’m in Tasmania or Southern Island of New Zealand or Aberdeen…. On the way back, I saw many fresh fish shops. I found one shop sells crab for 4,000 yen (around 30 euro) a box. Its cheap!!!! 4 living piece in it. I have to buy it.
In the night Hiro cooked foods and also this gourmet fresh crab meat. Its nice place, so many different fresh fishes which is payable from everyone’s pocket. (This is one of nicest thing in my Never Ending Tour, you can eat luxury (expensive) things for incredible (cheap) price at local to local… I recommend if you come to Hokkaidou, eat fish!!!