ARTICLES

What was written on the old signboard, "I moved to Kushiro because of a job transfer.

2022.05.03

NG-san ( @nagi0467 ), who moved to Hokkaido this spring, tweeted, "Moved to Kushiro for a new job. Can't read the place names.

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NG-san (@nagi0467) February 28, 2022

There you will find a number of place names written on old signs. Each is carefully written in romaji, katakana, and kanji, so you can tell, for example, that "Bunjase" is probably read as "Wakachiyarase," but look at the kanji alone and this is how it reads. I see... This is difficult.

For comments,

"No, I can't read it either..."
"I can't read it even if I am a resident of Hokkaido.
I was born and raised in Hokkaido, but I probably don't know the names of many places. I hope you will enjoy and like Hokkaido, including those names.
I was born and raised in Kushiro for 55 years, but there are probably some places in Kushiro that I still can't read or don't know. So, don't worry! Welcome to Kushiro!

He even said warmly, "Welcome to Kushiro!

NG-san then continued,

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NG (@nagi0467) February 28, 2022

He seemed to have a hard time with unreadable place names. However,

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NG-san (@nagi0467) February 28,

2022

He seems to be completely enjoying his life in East Hokkaido. I am relieved...!

Kohei Yanagira, a.k.a. NG-san, whom we introduced to you this time, moved to Hokkaido in 2017. While working as a teacher at Shibetsu High School in Shibetsu Town, he is promoting the charms of the region, including the wildlife of the Notsuke Peninsula, through photography. This April 2022, he has been assigned to Kushiro Hokuyo High School and moved to Kushiro. Here are some of Mr. Yanagira's works!

Yorushika" (Yorushika)

On the night of a full moon, he searched for and photographed Ezo sika deer at the time of moonrise in order to put the moon between their antlers. This piece was inspired by the name of the popular artist "Yorshika".

Warmth."

Spring is the season of new life. The newborn little fox and the mother fox were sleeping comfortably together, basking in the warm spring sun.

Snow Fairy

At about 14 cm in length and 8 g in weight, the striped hyena is the second smallest bird in Japan. To withstand the cold, it looks like a snowman with lots of air in its feathers. Because of their cute appearance, they are also called "snow fairies.

From Sea to Land

A brown bear that came close to a whale that had washed ashore was photographed from a boat. Life that has ended is taken up by other life in this way and lives on. In East Hokkaido, we often witness the vivid exchange of life.

No Border

In the background is Kunashiri Island in the Northern Territories. It is an island that we cannot go to, although it is within easy reach across the drift ice. Standing on the drift ice is a white-tailed sea eagle. Wild animals easily cross the borders that humans have set.

We asked Mr. Yagira about his thoughts on moving to Hokkaido and Kushiro.

I was surprised to find that wild animals have entered our daily lives and that they have become a normal part of life for the local people. It is not stray dogs but Ezo sika deer and foxes that come into the school, and white-tailed eagles fly overhead.

The changing of the seasons and the workings of nature make you realize that you do not belong only to the flora and fauna, the mountains, fields, rivers, and oceans, or to human society. I felt that the commonplace of East Hokkaido is something to be proud of and worthy of learning from around the world.

Food is also unique, with many foods that I encountered for the first time, such as "spakatsu" and "sugar French dogs," making it a pleasure to think about what to eat every day. Even a supermarket that I casually entered was like a tourist attraction with its lineup of substandard fish and vegetables. I was particularly impressed by the taste of saury sashimi and asparagus, which was far beyond my imagination."

We hope that Mr. Yanagira's life in the region will continue to be enriched in the future!