Dean and Sue Zemke

Asahikawa, Hokkaido JAPAN

Trip to Wakkanai July 2009


 
 45 degree north marker in Horonobe, Hokkaido                   Breakwater Dome at Wakkanai Port
 Halfway to North Pole and Equator

 
Wakkanai Centennial Memorial Tower and a wind turbine ---  and a view from the tower

 
Monument at Cape Soya, northernmost part of Japan  45 degrees 31 minutes 14 seconds north latitude

 
Rural Hokkaido                                                          The spot where Takeshiro Matsuura named Hokkaido (Otoineppu)


Asahikawa Winter Festival February 2009


   
        
    
                                                
   
                                                 

Spring 2008


Tokiwa Park in Asahikawa on May 1, 2008


 
   

Winter 2007-2008


Asahikawa has had 601 cm (19.7 feet) of snowfall for the 2007-08 season.

Asahikawa's Winter Festival

 


sculpture:  262 ½ feet long x 65 ½ feet high x 131 feet deep  (80 meters x 20 meters x 40 meters)

 

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If the sides of the church aren't cleared, the snow will break the windows.  If the
shed roof isn't cleared, snow will crush the shed.  Church roof also needs to be cleared
or it leaks.

   
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Another visit to Asahikawa's Asahiyama Zoo with the famous penguin walk.
                                                

Electronic Flag Man

 

Signs such as this electronic flag man are great entertainment (and fine warning devices too!).

  

Japan Professional Baseball

The Hokkaido Japan Ham Fighters played a game in Asahikawa on September 1, 2007.  The game lasted 12 innings and sadly they lost to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 6-5.  The stadium, which seats 25,000, was full.  We enjoyed watching the game with the Minks family, missionaries in Nayoro.

 

 

Spring-Summer 2007

May 17  Although most cherry blossoms are pink, this white-blossoming cherry tree is in our front yard.

  

May 24 Chimps at the Asahiyama Zoo                        June 8  English Garden in Asahikawa

 

July 19 Toma Cave                                               July 20  Fox on roadside

   

July 20  Fumaroles (steam vents) and view of Asahikawa from 1667 meters up Asahidake (elevation 2290 meters)

 

July 20 Hagoromo Waterfall in Tenninkyo                                      July 25 Flower Field in Biei

    

Curves meets Asahikawa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter 2006-07

Sounkyo's Ice Fall Festival:

 

 

 Asahikawa's Winter Festival Large snow sculpture measures 84 (length) x 24 (height) x 40 meters (depth):

 

   Asahikawa viewed from the zoo:                                Seals at the Asahiyama Zoo:

 

Zoo's Penguin Walk

 

     Sapporo Illumination                                        Church Christmas meal and fellowship:

 

Fall 2006

                   Alpenglow on snow-capped mountains and our family in Biei, Hokkaido  October 21, 2006

 

Mayoral election; posters are posted in designated areas        A neighbor drying daikon (large white radishes...delicious!)

   

Summer 2006

Chuwa Bible Baptist Church Welcome Back Picnic for us:               Flower field in Biei, Hokkaido:

 

         Furano:  Geographic Center of Hokkaido                     Paul participating in a baseball clinic

 

Missionary children and adults at 2006 Missionary Camp: