Day 184 Swimming Salmon & Scallop Farmer’s Feast

Sep 17 • Blog, Hokkaido • 4029 Views • 2 Comments

At this beautiful coastline called Cape Kamui, I met an oil painter, capturing the sunlight of the morning time. Kamui is a word of Ainu, which means spirits or god. Ainu is Japan’s indigenous people who have lived in Hokkaido region. Many town names here are from Ainu language, and they sound quite differently from the rest of Japan. The oil painter from near Tokyo was surprised to find out that I cycled to get there. We chatted for a while about his painting, my travel, and the beautiful places in Japan. He talked how similar the scenery in Hokkaido was to that of Europe, and appropriately so were his stunning paintings.

After I said goodbye to the painter, I came to a bridge, and something moved in the corner of my right eye. I took a few steps back with my bike, and popped my head over the bridge. There, I found salmon swimming up the river!! They didn’t seem to be swimming forward, but were staying in the same area for the last bit to lay eggs. The salmon season had just started and I caught the right moment in the river. I stood there in awe, watching this for the very first time in real life. Some would jump out of the water, and I could see the male salmon fighting by bumping into each other. Prior to getting here, I was quickly developing the fear of bears in a forest area. Cycling in Hokkaido really is like being in the breathtaking scenes from National Geographic.

Cosmos, also known as the autumn sakura in Japan, are now swaying with breeze. Boy, have I seen many different kinds of flowers this year from my bike.

What was even more surprising than the salmon in the river was what happened later that day. Remember the Strawberry Man from Takeo City, Saga back in April? He was the man who gave me strawberries while I happened to be resting by his farm. He contacted me the day before and suggested I stop by in Oumu Town, Hokkaido, where his family friend was, if it was on my way. Well, I happened to be cycling by there the very next day!

Over the phone mid day between my cycling, the family in Oumu suggested I stay over that evening. After 80km of cycling along the coastal line, I was welcomed by the most wonderful couple who took me in and even drove me to their favorite onsen (hot spring bath). When I came back, I literally gasped to see their table full of feast with the scallops that the husband brought in that morning. He was a scallop farmer in Oumu!

Look at these Hokkaido’s crab and sweet corn too. The fisherman towns around this particular area are known for their crab, scallops, and flatfish. They cooked all of those local delicacies that evening, while I had absolutely no idea that anything like this was going to happen.

The wonderful couple and their friend in the beautiful and delicious Oumu, Hokkaido.

Scallop Man said he and the other fishermen were chatting over the boat radio about me cycling over that day. Thanks to them, their little news went to bed completely full and in peace that evening. Love does not seem to stop on the northern side of Japan either.

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