Japan Diaries 4: Week 53

Japan Diaries 4: Week 53

Week 53: October 31 – November 4, 2022

Day 364: October 31, 2022

Monday – Rumoi

Rumoi High School 10.31.22
Rumoi High School 10.31.22

Today is a lovely day and the beginning of a new work week for me. I'm heading back to work at Rumoi High School today, as I do every Monday.

Here’s my workload for today:

3rd-period class with Matsuda-sensei
3rd period class with Matsuda-sensei

1st period – Narrow Boats in Britain @ 3-35 of Matsuda-sensei

3rd period – Narrow Boats in Britain @ 3-46 of Matsuda-sensei

Rumoi English Club's Halloween Activity
Rumoi English Club's Halloween Activity

After classes, we had the Rumoi English Club. Our topic for today's club activity is all about Halloween. We played some games and also had some snacks.


Day 365: November 1, 2022

Tuesday – 1st Anniversary as a Rumoi ALT

Rumoi High School 11.1.22
Rumoi High School 11.1.22

It seems like only yesterday when I arrived in Rumoi City to work as the city's Assistant Language Teacher under the JET Programme. I'm grateful that everything I've encountered so far has been positive, and I hope that the coming years will be filled with even more wonderful experiences and new friends. 

Here’s my workload today at Rumoi High School:

1st period with Matsuda-sensei
1st period with Matsuda-sensei

1st period – Narrow Boats in Britain @ 3-46 of Matsuda-sensei

4th period – My Favorite Brand @ 2-345 of Sato-sensei

Rumoi High School

1st year anniversary as an ALT
1st year anniversary as an ALT

My wife prepared all these
My wife prepared all these

1st year anniversary as an ALT
Thank you Lord for an amazing year!

When I got home, my wife and daughter surprised me with a yakiniku feast to celebrate my anniversary here.


Overall, I can’t believe that it’s already been a year. Regardless, my stay here has been amazing so far. I’m looking forward to more years here in Rumoi City.


Day 366: November 2, 2022

Wednesday - Haboro

Haboro High School 1.2.22
Haboro High School 1.2.22

Today, I’m heading to Haboro High School. It’s my 11th visit for the school year 2022 – 2023. For this trip, I will be using my 2-day Moekko Skip Ticket.

Here’s my workload for today:

2nd period – Philippine Sweets @ 3rd year of Okumura-sensei

4th period – Passive Voice @ 2nd year of Okumura-sensei

5th period – Listening and Speaking Activity @ 1st year of Kawakami-sensei


Day 367: November 3, 2022

Thursday – "Culture Day" Road Trip 2022

Japan is celebrating Culture Day today. It’s another public holiday. It only means one thing. We are off on another road trip.

Bibai City manhole cover
Bibai City manhole cover

In the itinerary that I made, we would be driving south to visit the cities of Bibai, Mikasa, and Iwamisawa. However, we were adamant that we would push through with today’s plan because last night, the weather forecast said that there would be heavy rain the whole day. That’s why we left Rumoi City quite late because my wife and I had to weigh it through before agreeing that we should go.


For the first stop of our "Culture Day" Road Trip 2022, we visited Bibai City (美唄市). The city was once a coal town that produced over a million tons of coal annually until the mines were closed in 1972. Today, Bibai City is focused on agriculture and tourism. It is one of the best places to watch the greater white-fronted geese in April during one of their stops in their long northward migration.

These are the places that we visited in Bibai City:

Sorachi Shrine
Sorachi Shrine

🪨 Sorachi Shrine

Bibai City History Museum
Bibai City History Museum

Inside Bibai City History Museum
Inside Bibai City History Museum

🪨 Bibai City History Museum

Bibai Tondenheiya
Bibai Tondenheiya 

🪨 Bibai Tondenheiya (closed during our visit)

Our next stop is the city of Mikasa (三笠市). The city is famous for historical things like old trains and fossils.

This street in Mikasa City is probably one of the most scenic places that I have seen so far.
This street in Mikasa City is probably one of the most scenic places that I have seen so far.

Mikasa City manhole cover
Mikasa City manhole cover

These are the places that we visited in Mikasa City:

Mikasa Roadside Station
Mikasa Roadside Station

Inside Mikasa Roadside Station
Inside Mikasa Roadside Station

🌀 Mikasa Roadside Station

Sun Farm Mikasa Agricultural Museum
Sun Farm Mikasa Agricultural Museum

🌀 Sun Farm Mikasa Agricultural Museum

Ichikichi Shrine
Ichikichi Shrine
🌀 Ichikichi Shrine

Mikasa City Museum
Mikasa City Museum

Mikasa City Museum
🌀 Mikasa City Museum

Mikasa City Pokemon manhole cover
Mikasa City Pokemon manhole cover

It was past lunchtime when we left Mikasa City to go to Iwamizawa City (岩見沢市) which is the capital of Sorachi Subprefecture. It is currently the most populated city in the subprefecture.

Off to Iwamizawa City (岩見沢市)
Off to Iwamizawa City

Iwamizawa City manhole cover
Iwamizawa City manhole cover

We visited the following places in Iwamizawa City:

Iwamizawa Shrine
Iwamizawa Shrine

🔷 Iwamizawa Shrine

Hatogaoka Memorial Green Space
Hatogaoka Memorial Green Space

🔷 Hatogaoka Memorial Green Space


We had late lunch at Uobei in Iwamizawa City
We had late lunch at Uobei in Iwamizawa City

Uobei is a popular conveyor belt sushi chain here in Hokkaido
Uobei is a popular conveyor belt sushi chain here in Hokkaido


For late lunch, we ate at Uobei Iwamizawa. It’s a conveyor belt sushi that has branches all around Japan.


2nd Street Iwamizawa
2nd Street Iwamizawa

2nd Street Iwamizawa
Ella had fun looking for clothes that she likes

Our last destination in Iwamizawa is 2nd Street Iwamizawa where we did some pre-loved winter clothes shopping spree. 

Before leaving the city, we received a call from Mr. Toshi. He told us about our travel plan for this winter break. He said that we might drive to Hiroshima Prefecture and explore the historical places there like the famed Torii in Miyajima. This got us excited of course. That’s why our spirits were up on our drive home.

Overall, we visited 3 new cities today. We are looking forward to visiting more on our next road trip. See you guys!

Day 368: November 4, 2022

Friday – Tomamae

Tomamae Commercial High School 11.4.22
Tomamae Commercial High School 11.4.22

It’s the last day of my workweek. Today, I’m heading back to Tomamae Commercial High School. It’s my 22nd visit for the school year 2022 – 2023. For this trip, I used my 2-day Skip Moekko Free Ticket.

Here’s my workload for today:


2nd period with Hasegawa-sensei
2nd period with Hasegawa-sensei

2nd period – Animal Sounds @ 1st year of Hasegawa-sensei

Overall, this workweek isn't that tiring thanks to the Culture Day holiday last Thursday. For work, I got to visit Rumoi High School, Haboro High School, and Tomamae Commercial High School. For the "Culture Day" Road Trip, my family and I visited Bibai City, Mikasa City, and Iwamizawa City. 

Read more:

Japan Diaries 4: Weekend 53
Japan Diaries 4: Day 367
Moekko Free Ticket
Sorachi Shrine
Bibai City History Museum
Mikasa Roadside Station
Ichikichi Shrine
Mikasa City Museum
Iwamizawa Shrine
Hatogaoka Memorial Green Space
Hokkaido Pokemon Manhole Covers
10 Things to Do in Bibai City
10 Things to Do in Mikasa City
10 Things to Do in Iwamizawa City

Japan Diaries 4: Summary

Previous:

Japan Diaries 4: Week 52
Japan Diaries 4: Weekend 52

Next:

Japan Diaries 4: Week 54
Japan Diaries 4: Weekend 54

Location: Iwamizawa, Hokkaido, Japan

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