Fortunately, by becoming a member of the council, I got a much better look at it and what, exactly, it is that they do. Now, a year later, I've hosted two very successful HAJET events, and had I not elected to make this my last year on JET and to return to Canada in August, I would likely have attempted to run for the position of HAJET President. I've become that invested in this organization I previously knew little to nothing about.
The more recent, much larger-scale event, that was my primary responsibility as Social Coordinator took place this February over the long weekend (Feb 11-13). It's come to be known as the HAJET Yuki Matsuri (or "Snow Festival," for the uninitiated) Tour, and it typically centres on the Sapporo Yuki Matsuri that occurs every year in the second week of February. As I was wholly responsible for planning the tour this year, I decided I'd try to put a different spin on it by basing the tour in Niseko (the skiing/snowboarding mecca of Hokkaido) with day trips into Sapporo and Otaru to take in those cities' snow festivals.
The event turned out to be just as big and fun as I had hoped. I had 30 folks sign up for the tour in total (I was aiming for 25), with 28 of them coming outside of Hokkaido and needing to fly up for the event. They were all crazy, fantastic folks who, as one of them put it, I'm kind of sad to have met because after our three solid days together they all had to return to their various corners of Japan.
I can't think of anything really artful or interesting to write about the whole thing, and I've got a bit of a pet peeve for boring, play-by-play exposition, so here are the photos to better tell the story of the tour.
"This beer. Buy one, get one free. I just make it up."
"Here. Take the whole case. It's expired."
"Why do you have all of this Australian stuff up?"
"Because the fuckers, they pay us."
All You Can Eat Fried Lamb + All You Can Drink Sapporo Beer
Obnoxious Gaijin Snowball Fight
You're happy now, but wait until you realize there's no toilet.
Bar The Ice
Clear.
The kind of clear I haven't seen in a long time.
Free piggy-back rides for anyone dumb enough to have returned their gear without having brought their shoes to change into.
Stop that man. He's read the Art of War.
Otaru Winter Lights festival.
Me and Max, trip planners extraordinaire.
Most of the crew in Otaru
Otaru Brewery = More Beer + German Food
1L Mugs of Beer
Train Sumo
"Okay. We've got split each of these pizzas between 13 people."
Anachronisms Abound
2010 - 2011 Mountain Days 12 & 13
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