Toyohira River

We took a ride out to the Toyohira River that runs through the center of Sapporo.  It was a sunny day.  It was also 10km away, so it took a little while to get there by bike.  There are many river channels running through or near Sapporo.  According to Wikipedia: 

Prior to the establishment, the area occupied by Sapporo was home to a number of indigenous Ainu settlements.  In 1866 at the end of the Edo Period construction began on a canal through the area, encouraging a number of early settlers to establish Sapporo village.  The settlement's name was taken from the Ainu language sat poro pet, and can be translated as "dry, great river".

 Here is one of the signs that says Toyohira Kawa.  Kawa translates as river.

Here is Bre biking past the apple blossoms.  If you look closely you can see the cottonwood fluff blowing over the trail.

There were lots of people out for a ride who had stopped to do some reading.  This guy was the only one we saw who was on his cell phone.

Here is another bike rider reading under a picnic table shade.  His bike is not visible in this photo.

His picnic spot was right next the train tracks.

Here is the Sapporo JR Tower at Sapporo station with the mountains in the background.

Bre and I have encountered this game several places around Japan.  It seems to be a cross between croquet and mini golf.

These are some of the crazy signs that we encountered.  This one seems to be selling 10 minutes of games for 90 Yen where you can play soccer, baseball, handguns, basketball, reading and more.    I don't understand how guns and books go together.

The cylindrical billboard here seems to belong to a cylindrical casino.

This is another common type of advertisement where they show the uncooked meat that you can buy and cook.  Mmmm, raw meat.

That's all for now,

Kyle (and Bre)