In Sapporo

I can't figure out how the Japanese manage to keep the city so clean, especially when there isn't a single trash can on the streets. I just finished eating tuna and don't know where to throw the can. This evening completely lived up to the blog's name. I'm sitting on a bench, at night, near the railway station building in Sapporo. Next to me are my bags and bicycle. The station itself closed at eleven. I arrived on the last train from Shin-Chitose airport. I dragged the box along the floor, lifting it by the torn edge so the bottom wouldn't wear out too much, while people around me rushed to their trains to make it home. I thought it would be cool to put a camera on a tripod, since the station closes at night, meaning in about five minutes this whole crowd would dissolve - it would look beautiful on fast forward. That's exactly what happened, I dragged the box to the exit, looked back, the station was empty.

Now I'm sitting outside, saw off the last taxi drivers, and I'm going through my bags, throwing out unnecessary stuff. Looking for a trash can, I discovered I'm not here alone. On the square near the station, about five more people are sleeping on benches and the stone floor. They don't look like homeless people - all well dressed and with suitcases.

It's already two in the morning, two workers in hard hats and safety gear walk by. One looks carefully at the box, then at me. — Is that a bicycle? — He makes a gesture with his hands like he's pedaling. — Yes. — Oh, I have a bicycle too.

Everyone in Japan has a bicycle, that's not news, but I'm glad for any company. I pretend to be surprised. — Yeah, I once rode mine from Wakkanai to Sapporo in two days. The Japanese guy has good English, and here's the paradox. I've talked with students here, various office workers and airport staff who should theoretically speak good English, but can't string together more than two words. But here's a worker in a hard hat, washing windows, it's not required of him at all. I got curious.

— You have good English, where from? The Japanese guy shrugged. — Don't know, just good. Where are you from? — I'm from Israel. — Oh, Israel. Toda (Hebrew for "thank you") This is a joke. Wherever you go! Where from?? — There are many Israelis here in Sapporo.

I told him, among many things, about my trip and handed him a business card. He turns it in his hands.

— Ohhh 4000 kilometers! It's crazy! He asks his friend in Japanese to take a photo of us together. — If you want, join me when you have time. — Yeah, I have the day after tomorrow off, I'll join you. I show him the email address on the card and ask him to send the photo. — And here's my blog, only it's in Russian, I was born in Russia. — Oh, my grandmother was from Russia. — You have a Russian grandmother? From where? — Sakhalin. — I was born on Sakhalin. — Ohhh, Sakhalin? Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk? — No, Kholmsk. — Kholmsk. — He repeats after me, as if trying to remember. — Maoka (Japanese name for Kholmsk). — Ohhh Maoka! — He grabs his head, then firmly shakes my hand. — I was on Sakhalin…

And here I find the answer to my question. He's changed more than one profession, like a Jack London hero, including being a sailor - apparently that's where the English comes from. And then I learn about another one of his jobs. He takes a t-shirt out of his bag and hands it to me. — Thanks, I have one. — Yeah, but I want to leave you something as a memento. I unfold the t-shirt, it says "Beone's challenging for 1/4 project never end." The essence of the project that never ends is collecting trash. We sit and chat, his friend left, then came back, and we're still sitting. — Do you smoke? — No, — I tell him, then look over my bags, the bench I'm sitting on, remember the broken camera and generally this whole day. — But let's smoke.

Later we said goodbye to Taro, that's his name. Agreeing to stay in touch about the day after tomorrow. Morning came, a station worker gestured for me to come inside, and I went to buy a ticket for a train across all of Hokkaido. Have you read Kafka on the Shore?

From my phone. Train from the airport to Sapporo. By the way, the girls in Hokkaido are prettier than in Tokyo.

Checking email, I got this letter from the girl at the information desk. Hi, Ilya! nice to meet you today in NEW CHITOSE airport. I'm MAYUKO. do you remember me?:) enjoy your trip and take care.