Today marks the beginning of September.
Looking back at August, the three days I spent in Hokkaido visiting my family's grave were truly "moving."
Absolutely everything was "huge."
The pun "Hokkaido wa dekkai dō" (Hokkaido is a huge road/region) isn't far from the truth;
more than seeing it in photos or hearing about it from others,
I truly felt the difference in scale of everything for the first time in my life, all the way to Furano.
Distinctive buildings unique to snowy regions, a sky so close you feel you could touch it,
and Mount Tokachi, which recently experienced a small eruption.
Endless straight roads.
I heard that police used to disguise themselves as farmers to catch speeders, which, if true,
shows how cunning the Hokkaido police were.
Due to arriving late, Shirogane Blue Pond wasn't blue at all.
I hope that seeing it as just a pond will become a fond memory later on.
I was moved to see a wild fox on the way to the hotel, and then, immediately, the miracle of encountering a wild Yezo sika deer.
While it might be a common sight for locals,
I was deeply moved to see such authentic nature for the first time in Furano.
Hokkaido is truly amazing!