As Mark Hamilton retires from teaching in Japan and living 10,000 kilometres away from Kawartha Lakes Mark Hamilton never expected to be bathing naked with his Japanese host family when he arrived in the Pacific nation as an exchange student in 1987 But that’s a cultural norm in Japan – at least in a hot spring or in a public bath communal bathing is a deeply rooted tradition — a practice of relaxation A tradition that was influenced by Buddhism and Shintoism over centuries communal bathing is seen as a way to connect with others and unwind It was something Hamilton calls “perhaps the most challenging experience” during his first summer in Hokkaido As awkward as that was for a shy Lindsay-area boy his experiences in Japan left an indelible mark But getting to that point all started in the halls and classrooms of I.E that’s where and when Hamilton met Hiroshi Hasumune Hasumune was an exchange student from Nayoro the small town in Japan twinned with Lindsay and we became close friends.” Hamilton applied the following summer as part of the alternating exchange under the Nayoro-Lindsay sister city agreement Weldon and Eliza Gardiner accompanied me from LCVI.” It was that moment where the seeds of a lifelong cross-cultural friendship were planted facilitated by the Weldon program and the sister city initiative became the cornerstone of a remarkable journey for Hamilton that would span continents Hamilton’s first journey to Japan came on his 18th birthday (Full disclosure: Hamilton and I have been friends since high school.) the pilots and flight crew presented me with a first-class signed menu and a mini bottle of champagne I recall them saying we were in Alberta airspace at the time The 14-hour direct flight landed at Narita International Airport in Tokyo and the size of the city left the young man from Lindsay in awe “That would be my only glimpse of Tokyo on this trip as we rushed to make our 90-minute connecting flight A shuttle bus and welcome delegation from Nayoro delivered us to a hotel in Sapporo 45 minutes away and I left a trail of champagne and airline food out the bus window.” Many of Hamilton’s early impressions of Japan came from ninja and Karate Kid movies popular in the mid 1980s “I was a little disappointed to discover samurai geisha and martial arts masters were not so common in modern Japan.” his high-tech image of Japan was also washed away when he encountered his first squat toilet It wasn’t just the communal bathing he found challenging at first extended a warm welcome and spoiled me with Japanese delicacies including sashimi and sushi I struggled to adjust and rather preferred Japanese style barbecues and ramen noodles.” Hamilton returned to Ontario to complete Grade 13 at Weldon before starting agri-business studies at the University of Guelph Perhaps without knowing it consciously yet he had already been changed by his experience in Japan he filled a six-month contract with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food in Waterloo he applied for the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme and was delighted to be placed back in Nayoro he realized he enjoyed the classroom and decided to return to Canada to get his teaching license and B.Ed through one year of study at the University of Western Ontario But it was three time’s a charm for Hamilton when it came to Japan at least in terms of convincing him to stay by compiling a Canadian Cultural curriculum for children Learning English in elementary schools “was a new initiative in Japan at the time Where would one most likely meet a Japanese woman Hamilton was scheduled to be hospitalized for six weeks to keep his leg immobilized and to follow a strict rehabilitation regimen knowing it would be a dry month and a half ahead the two struck up a conversation about his hockey injury and planned to have lunch together the next day “We had a great lunch with a Japanese colleague of hers visiting from Canada I took her to my favourite cafe and we talked all afternoon.” where he was scheduled to MC a friend’s wedding there six months later Hamilton says Mikako visited him at the hospital a day later and noticed the patient information panel at the head of his bed “Although much of our conversation in the bar was a bit fuzzy to her she clearly remembered my left knee injury Somehow the hospital had mistakenly scheduled surgery on my right knee.” joking their relationship “got off on the right foot.” Hamilton would end up spending 24 years at a private university as a professor of International Communications I managed our incoming and outgoing international programs advanced to department head and served as vice chancellor on our campus in Hawaii.” Hamilton says one of the biggest misconceptions people might have about life in Japan is the iconic scenes of crowded streets and flashing neon lights of Tokyo While Tokyo’s 13 million people makes it the largest city in the world the country also has many smaller cities and rural towns and Japan’s fifth largest city with around two million people Hamilton notes Nayoro and Lindsay have been sister cities for 55 years and although many differences naturally exist many citizens might be surprised by the similarities “Both cities lie at the same line of latitude 44 degrees north As such they share similar climates.” (But Nayoro gets five times more snow – 829 cm annual average versus Lindsay’s 168 cm annual average) Lindsay’s population is 22,367 (2021 census) and Nayoro’s 24,702 (January 2025 estimate) Both cities have strong agricultural sectors with Nayoro boasting some of Japan’s best glutinous rice Both cities are bisected by rail (Nayoro’s still active) and rivers that are closely tied to their history as regional commercial hubs Another misconception may be related to prices While many things are imported and lead to higher costs in general “I would say Japan is relatively affordable Even Tokyo’s ranking in terms of cost of living has dropped in recent years and it’s no longer among the most expensive cities globally.” the perceived value of homes depreciates in Japan typically reaching a value of zero after 30 years there’s a strong preference for new homes and newer buildings generally have higher resale value This is partly due to the perception that new homes are more durable and have better seismic resistance in the earthquake prone nation Hamilton and his wife purchased a half hectare forested property on the southern outskirts of Sapporo The house – 55 years old – had been abandoned for at least five years and was home to various wildlife enjoying the overgrown gardens “We decided to take on an extensive renovation that took over a year to complete.” In an effort to blend both Japanese minimalism and Canadian rustic charm some unique features to the home include a wood fireplace and a Japanese style tatami room for guests (becoming less common in modern homes) “On the surrounding property we tap maple trees in spring enjoy the colours in autumn and make a skate rink in winter.” considering the Pacific country is considered one of the most ethnically homogenous in the world I think 99 per cent of the population identified as Japanese Recent census figures now put that figure around 97 per cent.” This is a great contrast to the multicultural society of Canada “and was a big culture shock,” he admits Japan still tends to have an outsider/insider mindset “and as such it takes time and commitment to fit in.” Hamilton realized early on that to make friends and understand the culture it became imperative to learn the language and customs – like communal bathing “One could even argue it is the most common leisure activity among Japanese Many hotels and resorts are built around sources of natural hot springs.” and only a 15-minute drive to a hot spring village he now enjoys bathing with friends on a weekly basis Hamilton fulfilled another life-long dream of making it on a professional hockey team “Former Ops teammates will not be surprised that I was not a player but rather the two-way interpreter for the Canadian coach and five Canadian import players,” he says went on in his career to become the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks One of the greatest challenges of Hamilton’s role was the pressure of live post-game “hero interviews.” “I still recall the confusion on a TV reporter’s face when I gave a literal translation to “I was glad to finally get the monkey off my back,” when our goalie was asked about his shut-out Coordinating the 24-hour translation services for the Rolling Stones when they came to Sapporo on their Bigger Bang Tour in 2006 was another career highlight for Hamilton He also worked as a location scout and interpreter for Anthony Bourdain and his “No Reservations” film crew in February 2011 Despite the appearance of on-the-spot visits Hamilton spent a month in advance researching and securing all the restaurants and locations and then spent a week on the road with the crew but was grateful to have two of my students appear as extras in the first “ramen alley” scene Nayoro and Lindsay recently celebrated 50 years of sister city relations with reciprocal anniversary delegations visiting this period was followed by COVID and was a challenging time for overseas exchange the exchange of students between the two cities has resumed Zachary Knight was hosted by Nayoro and this summer it will be Lindsay’s turn to reciprocate Hamilton says the Lindsay-Nayoro Twinning Committee is now in the capable hands of Dylan Robichaud who was a former exchange student to Nayoro in 2009 “I hope my story speaks for the importance of maintaining our relations with our sister city and dispatching and welcoming youth from our respective communities The Lindsay-Nayoro exchange shaped my life and gave me career opportunities beyond my dreams.” One of the more remarkable aspects of Hamilton’s journey is the way his life in Japan has reshaped his personal identity “Many Japanese friends and students tell me that I am more Japanese than they are,” he says this sentiment embodies the spirit of omoiyari — a profound sense of empathy and thoughtfulness that goes beyond simple politeness mutual respect and a commitment to societal harmony are fundamental values Although these values are not alien to Canadian culture Hamilton notes that in today’s politically divisive North America he finds a refreshing sense of security and unity in Japan having lived in the relatively monocultural environment of Japan I feel a much deeper appreciation for Canada and Canadians including their commitment to multiculturalism and tolerance politeness and friendliness even among strangers He is consciously taking six months to think about next steps but other than preparing for a visit from his sister These include starting a farmer’s market in his neighbourhood; beginning an organization that provides team-building leadership training and outdoor adventure experiences; expanding his annual Terry Fox Run in Nayoro; keeping the “jungle at bay” in the surrounding forests and gardens of their home; assisting the Lindsay-Nayoro Twinning Committee; and providing tours of Hokkaido for small groups of visitors from Canada The legacy of exchanges like those between Nayoro and Lindsay have changed lives irrevocably In the quote from Homer at the beginning of this article And yet what is such an identity predicated on Hamilton could obviously make the case for both nations – and eloquently does His life is a reminder that sometimes the greatest rewards are found when we strike out and yes – even strip everything away – to try something new In the shared meals and unexpected relationships we build Thanks for sharing and I will send this onto friends living in the surrounding area Thanks Carol I learned and enjoyed this article and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" The only 100% local news source in Kawartha Lakes that also publishes in print Support Us Keep up-to-date with your local happenings in and around town Auroras were observed in many areas of Hokkaido According to an astronomical observatory in Nayoro in northern Hokkaido red northern lights lit up the sky and were visible to the naked eye for some 3 hours from around 2 a.m The auroras are a result of a geomagnetic storm or massive explosions on the sun's surface Auroras may continue to appear as the frequency of solar flares changes on a roughly 11-year cycle and the sun is currently in a phase of increased activity toward its peak Auroras appear in the sky at a latitude of approximately 60 to 70 degrees north The color is different depending on the latitude FEATURE:Solar flares putting satellite, communications tech in line of fire To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible Today's print edition Home Delivery Amid an increase in bear attacks across Japan the city of Nayoro in Hokkaido has resorted to using drones to monitor sightings and help guide residents to safety in emergency situations as well as facilitate the swift removal of the animals The Environment Ministry reported a record number of 219 people being attacked by bears across the country in fiscal 2023 which ended in March.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); there had already been nationwide attacks involving 34 victims The Nayoro Police Station recorded over 30 bear sightings within the city in the first five months of this year about 10 more than the same period of last year In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division A man encountered two brown bears at around 10:15 a.m Thursday on a forest road while sightseeing alone in Nayoro please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent the man was driving to a tourist attraction to see waterfalls When he got out of the car about two kilometers away from the falls The bears reportedly had body lengths of about 1.3 meters and 1.5 meters Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun The Northern Lights were observed in Hokkaido and other parts of northern Japan over the weekend following a powerful solar storm adding a glow to the starry night in regions where the aurora is rarely seen The aurora borealis was observed across Hokkaido and the Tohoku region including in the Noto region in Ishikawa Prefecture where a major earthquake occurred on Jan local media reported.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); One of the lucky few who were able to take photos of the Northern Lights was Yasuo Sano the former director of the Kitasubaru Astronomical Observatory in Nayoro who last observed the Northern Lights in Japan more than 20 years ago and took the pictures in Nayoro on Saturday camera technology and other observation equipment have evolved allowing people to better capture the moment “I observed with my own eyes and took photos of the aurora at low latitudes in 2003 and 2001 It was even more incredible this time — something I have never experienced in my life something that’s beyond anything I had ever seen before,” Sano said By ELENA SALVONI and AFP A karate expert managed to fight off a bear attack which he thought would cost him his life by kicking the animal twice in the face Masato Fukuda was only lightly injured in his encounter with a pair of bears on Thursday morning in Nayoro city He was on a walk to see a waterfall in Nayoro's mountainous area at around 10.30am when he chanced upon the two brown bears poking their faces out of bushes The two bears picked the wrong person to mess with when they approached the 50-year-old who was visiting the woodland area from Toyota City One of them came towards him - but unfortunately for the animal Mr Fukuda was experienced in the martial art of karate Video footage recorded by the hiker appeared to show one of the bears fleeing into the forest Masato Fukuda was only lightly injured in his encounter with a pair of bears on Thursday morning He is pictured here speaking to Japanese TV station NHK 'I thought I should make my move or else I will be killed,' he told a local broadcaster Mr Fukuda kicked it in the face - twice - and in the process twisted his leg The day-tripper said that while he managed to scare off one of the predators Mr Fukuda made his way back to his car - and managed to get a video of the animal looking down at him The footage shows it peering from out of the woods at him before turning tail and running into the mountains 'I was just lucky. The bear just happened to run away, so I was saved, but if the bear had just lunged at me, I wouldn't have had a chance,' Mr Fukuda told STV Both animals looked to be about 1.5 metres (5ft) tall Brown bears can weigh half a tonne (1,100lbs) and outrun a human The Ussuri brown bear found on Hokkaido is a slightly smaller cousin to the grizzly, but much larger than the Japanese black bear on Japan's mainland File image shows an adult female brown bear chasing salmon in Shiretoko Peninsula The number of bear reports received in Hokkaido this month has exceeded 100, far higher than in previous months, news outlet NHK reports There have reportedly been numerous bear sightings in Nayoro City this month and police are conducting patrols to warn residents Authorities in the area have urged hikers to be vigilant when enjoying the forests particularly as the number of bear sightings in the area has been on the rise It comes after a bear attacked a tourist in Europe this week British holidaymaker Moira Gallacher had her arm mauled by a brown bear in Romania, but was saved by her 'thick M&S jacket' a friend who was travelling with her revealed this week the zookeeper only sustained minor injuries in the attack which gnawed at her in front of horrified visitors The woman was jumped on after bringing snacks into the huge bears' enclosure and was only saved when a colleague came to her aid she is reported to have only sustained minor injuries in the attack The comments below have not been moderated We are no longer accepting comments on this article The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Read current news from our community Kawartha Lakes celebrates 50 years of being a twin city with Japanese community Nayoro Kawartha Lakes – At the June 18 Council meeting the municipality of Kawartha Lakes celebrated 50 years of the Lindsay-Nayoro Twinning Committee with a presentation from Consul-General of Japan Takako Ito an award was given to Kawartha Lakes resident Heather Newman for her commitment to fostering Japanese/Canadian friendship was awarded to Heather Newman for her work with the Lindsay-Nayoro Twinning Committee over the past 50 years Heather is currently serving as the Chair of the Twinning Committee has personally congratulated Heather for her great work The Order celebrates the recipient’s work to strengthen friendship and goodwill between Japan and Canada through the development of sister-city exchanges This award is a Japanese order given to one Canadian each year on behalf of the Japanese Emperor It was presented by Consul-General Takako Ito Takako Ito joined the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in 1985 and has since had overseas postings in the Embassies in Canada including a Principal Deputy Director for Asia Europe Partnership Division a Director of Development Assistance Policy Planning Division and a Master of Ceremonies at Imperial Household Agency Ito is an advocate for promoting greater understanding and exchanges between Canada and Japan To learn more about the Lindsay-Nayoro Twinning Committee, visit their website. 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The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version The Hokkaido Police's Nayoro Station arrested 38-year-old unemployed Nayoro resident Jōji Mizuma for allegedly making the Hatsune Miku character's music software available for download without the copyright holders' authorization the suspect made Vocaloid 2 Character Vocal Series 01: Hatsune Miku and two other programs available for download on a server from around August 29 of last year to May 19 of this year The suspect allegedly admitted to the charges the suspect attracted customers on an auction site and then gave the winning bidders the address of the stored software for profit Source: Sports Nippon The sunflower is one of the iconic flowers of summer in Japan its flowering begins in mid-July in the southern regions and does not end until early October in the island's northern part A blossoming that is one of the longest in the country Here are the top 5 places to admire these beautiful yellow flowers in Hokkaido Located an hour and a half from Sapporo the small town of Hokuryu attracts many visitors every summer it hosts one of the largest sunflower fields in all of Japan With more than 1.2 million plants spread over 23 hectares the Hokuryu Sunflower Field is one of the most popular places on the island to admire the sunflowers Also having a lake and two high observation points its "Himawari Matsuri " (Sunflower Festival) is one of the summer's must-sees in Hokkaido and energizes the surrounding countryside each year from year mid-July to the end of August HokkaidoOpening hours: from mid-July to the end of August 9 am to 6 pm.Price: freeDirections: 13 min by car from Chippubetsu Station (Rumoi Line) To go further: 10 places to admire tulips in Japan Located in the city of Nayoro near Asahikawa the Chiebun field is the second-largest field of sunflowers on the island after that of Hokuryu Its flowers are used to extract the sunflower oil produced in Hokkaido unlike most sunflower fields on the island the Chiebun field is one of the only ones to use no chemical fertilizers which then allowed it to obtain exclusivity on the sunflower oil extraction market in Hokkaido making it one of the most precious fields in northern Japan It is forbidden to enter the field in hope of admiring the flowers more closely paths have been laid out so that visitors can walk there with joy and bicycles are even for rent to make the walk more pleasant Useful informationAddress: Hokkaido Nayoro-shi Chiebun MOA Meiyo BokujoHours: early to mid-August 9 am to 6 pm.Price: freeDirections: 12 min by car from Hokusei Station (Soya Main Line) The field of Ozora-cho is known to bear flowers throughout the year But it's those sunflowers at the end of July that catch the eye one of which is located very close to Memanbetsu airport A location that then delighted photographers on the island for the shots it offered: planes taking off and landing close to the flowers Note that there are also three blooms and that the Ozora-cho field is one of the few to produce sunflowers until October The Ozora-cho sunflower field and its planes HokkaidoOpening hours: end of July to mid-August 10 am - 8 pm.Price: freeDirections: 15 min by car from Memanbetsu station (Seikihoku line) Located very close to the Furano region this field offers the possibility of admiring the flowers of the sun in the middle of summer and enjoying the lavender at the same time! A slight peculiarity makes Zerubu no Oka one of the most famous spots in Hokkaido in terms of sunflowers Indeed, the field is one of the most Instagrammable spots on the island when the gold of the sunflowers blends with the purple of the lavender. An undeniable photogenic aspect is attracting more and more visitors who sometimes come from afar to admire the show A restaurant and a souvenir shop have recently been opened note for latecomers that a second sunflower bloom is also planned each September Useful informationAddress: 〒071-0225Daisan Biei-cho 9 am - 5 pmPrice: freeRoute: 20 min on foot from Kita-biei station (Furano line) Discover:4 places to admire sunflowers near Tokyo Ogawa Farm organizes a festival in honor of sunflowers every summer Two weeks of festivities allow you to discover more than 160,000 gigantic flowers with golden reflections Useful informationAddress: 518-3Izumisato Chitose-shi HokkaidoOpening hours: from mid-August to the end of AugustPrice: freeDirections: 13 min by car from Mikawa Station (Muroran Line) Hokkaido's sunflowers are one of the island's top attractions in the height of summer Where to see the work of Kengo Kuma in Japan one of the major contemporary artists in Japan The JR Pass for families: Enjoy traveling around Japan together! The JR Pass is a great option for many travelers to Japan but it offers some great perks that are especially beneficial to families visiting the country How much is the Japan Rail Pass? Current JR Pass pricing for travelers! Take a look at current pricing for the Japan Rail Pass a great travel option for visitors to Japan Japanese Food and Drink Books on Japan Japanese Movies Japanese Language Japanese History Understanding Japan Before you Travel View more Sign up and be the first to hear our news and special offers Spots Ski/Snowboard Snow accumulates early in the Asahikawa area and northern Hokkaido and many ski resorts open early in Hokkaido skiers and snowboarders can enjoy a variety of snow conditions and the courses that take advantage of the area's geographical location are also one of the attractions we will introduce ski resorts where you can enjoy a wide variety of snow conditions and courses [7 minutes walk from Sapporo Station] Enjoy hot springs A comfortable stay at the 605-room "Sapporo Hotel by Granbell" [Updated for 2025] A complete guide to accessing Daiwa House Premist Dome (Sapporo Dome) and nearby hotels "So cute it's unfair" - Feel the healing power of a sleeping miniature horse [Information on the early opening on April 25th] Sapporo Odori's newest attraction Floor details and highlights of "4PLA" opening in summer 2025 A hotel in the center of Sapporo with a superb sauna and large public bath Experience the warmth that is unique to Hokkaido at "Danyuki Sapporo" [2025 Edition] 7 recommended cherry blossom spots in the Kitami and eastern Hokkaido areas Enjoy cherry blossom viewing in the great outdoors Seasonal “news” of Hokkaido can be checked by category You can check the information of your “town” in one place Events” held throughout the province are easy to find and can be saved This page has been automatically translated by Google Translate service