The five of us, me, Takano-San, Katherine, Naka-San and Akamine-San pilled in to the car and started the 4 1/2 hour journey through the mountains to the coastal city of Sapporo. We quickly stopped at Takano San's house to pick up some supplies we would need for the week. Takano lives with his wife in an old farm house that they completely renovated. Their house is a traditional Japanese farmhouse with all the original hard wood floors, high ceilings and large wooden beams. They also have a guesthouse or entertaining house he called it that was converted from a cow barn. The entertaining house had a very long and low table that would probably seat about 20. It also had grills set into it all the way along for hot pot or barbecue paaty. There was also a loft level with tatami floors where mr and mrs Takano do Tai chi in the morning. Takano is not only a leading architect in Japan, but also casually dropped in that he is ranked 5th in Japan for horse jumping as he showed us the two horses he kept.
The 4 hour journey through the mountains was spectacular, the road wound around the hills and up the steep slopes through little villages and farms. Higher up, the farms became beautiful coniferous and deciduous forest weighed down with the 2-3 meters of snow. I felt as if I was driving through a winter wonderland snow globe.
We finally arrived in Sapporo, marked by a lovely 'Curves' fitness for women just as you enter the city. The office is close to downtown and tiny. There are three small rooms downstairs plus a kitchen, and two bedrooms upstairs. We arrived at the office and pretty much simultaneously Naka, Akamine and Takano got to a desk and started working. Not even a nod to the other employees at the office who didn't even lift their heads as we came in. Very confused about the whole situation, Kat and I also sat down a table and started checking our email. I went into the kitchen and couldn't believe the volume of cigarette butts in the compost maybe over 70, that was until I looked over at the desk and saw even more in various ash trays on the desk. I attempted to make some coffee, but there were no filters left, and looking around I found a large cardboard box under the counter that was full to the brim with coffer grounds and filters. I resolved to have tea instead.
About 15 minutes later the other two men working at the office, Ueda-san (mid forties project leader type) and (late twenties crazy but hilarious type), came over and introduced themselves. Almost as soon as we had finished introductions, everyone started packing up again, and pilling into the car to what I finally found was a lecture about urban design at the University. It was the usual crowd, business men in black suits, a few women and me, looking out of place as ever in a bright pink shirt with disheveled blonde hair to compliment. There turned out to be no pictures in this two and a half hour lecture about urban design in Japanese, but it became very productive doodling time. We went out for dinner after and finally arrived home, and then set up our futons upstairs. I was really exhausted but had to finish a presentation on the inuit and igloos that I had to make at a kindergarden school the next day.
I went to bed late, frustrated and cold, but was humoured by a fleecy quilt with sleeves on my bed.
No comments:
Post a Comment