My Last Fragments of Winter screening at the Sapporo Film Fest on Sept 12th was actually attended by Yi Hua, a friend from primary and secondary school whom I haven't met for ten years. This had never happened before in all my few years as a filmmaker. She just happened to be in Sapporo.
After that, when we were having ramen, she mentioned a place that intrigued me. The port town of Otaru, just northwest of Sapporo, known for its beautiful canal, the sublime seafood and music boxes (there's a famed music box museum).
And then, hours later, when I attended the Hokkaido Selection program screening, and saw a short film set in the town (there was also a scene shot in the museum), I instantly decided to go there.
So, I went yesterday.
The train ride to Otaru was rather brief, perhaps it was around 40 minutes.
![Dad on the train to Otaru](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8036/7983254453_7a06245b90.jpg)
![Dad on the train to Otaru](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8037/7983262926_c72c8632ec.jpg)
In front of the Otaru station.
![Dad, in front of Otaru station](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8320/7983324196_96e59b30c1.jpg)
I made my way to the Otaru canal that I heard so much about.
![Aha. So this is the famous Otaru canal.](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8440/7981816468_4f68eb8d7c.jpg)
![Dad at the Otaru canal](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8320/7983315416_56e9b65b6a.jpg)
![A boat passing by the Otaru canal](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8033/7983266486_2c6ba894a0.jpg)
![A building by the canal](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8036/7983311280_683c168ea9.jpg)
![Dad and I, at the Otaru canal](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8037/7983387810_74f02942ed.jpg)
I really want to visit this canal again, during winter, and see the place covered in snow.
![Otaru canal](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8181/7983316337_f974c85786.jpg)
Took a break and had some butter ramen. Dad had a big bowl of seafood champon.
Dad claimed that this meal was the defining moment of the trip.
We continued our way through the streets of Otaru.
![Otaru streets](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8315/7983307356_4cf96abdd3.jpg)
At that time, on Facebook, my friend Yihwen was asking me to try out the 5 flavor ice-cream. The shop was along the way, but I went for 6 flavors instead.
(the truth is that, out of the 6 flavors to choose from, I really didn't know which one to drop, so the nice lady just suggested that I go for all, so I did.)
Nevertheless, sightseeing while Facebooking, and having a friend suggest places to you in real-time, is something I never would've imagined just 2 years ago.
After the epic seafood champon and the epic 6-flavor ice-cream, I finally reached the famous music box museum of Otaru.
![Dad in front of the Otaru music box museum](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8461/7983278472_46dbc941d5.jpg)
It is a very interesting place, beautifully melodious sounds from music boxes of all shapes and sizes filled the air.
![The music box museum of Otaru](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8304/7983299457_0e8c8e4230.jpg)
![The music box museum of Otaru 2](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8316/7983300226_98ccc30d93.jpg)
![The music box museum of Otaru 4](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8314/7983269990_1c739b8149.jpg)
![The music box museum of Otaru 3](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8039/7983295624_80ae7d46d4.jpg)
![The music box museum of Otaru 5](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8173/7983285671_cb5cf388f8.jpg)
![The music box museum of Otaru 6](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8462/7983281999_14e25a30e9.jpg)
![The music box museum of Otaru 7](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8029/7983277177_ccf5b7e737.jpg)
Once we were done with the museum, we went to the cafe next door to sample its seemingly popular cheesecake, and some iced coffee.
![Dad and I, enjoying some coffee and cheesecake after the Otaru trip](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8461/7983383363_2b11cd1cb6.jpg)
Quite a classy place, this Otaru.
UPDATED: It is only a day after visiting the place that I realized that Otaru is where Shunji Iwai's LOVE LETTER (1995) was shot.
Knowing my adoration for the film during my teenage days, mom and dad had mentioned repeatedly that I should try to "visit the LOVE LETTER place" when I come to Hokkaido, and I just brushed them off, saying that the place was probably rather far away. I was wrong, I did end up visiting the place without knowing it. Of course, without the snow, it was unrecognizable.
After that, when we were having ramen, she mentioned a place that intrigued me. The port town of Otaru, just northwest of Sapporo, known for its beautiful canal, the sublime seafood and music boxes (there's a famed music box museum).
And then, hours later, when I attended the Hokkaido Selection program screening, and saw a short film set in the town (there was also a scene shot in the museum), I instantly decided to go there.
So, I went yesterday.
Because of my friend Yi Hua's recommendation, and also @sasa_meg 's short. I'm heading off with dad to Otaru to visit the music box museum
— Edmund Yeo (@greatswifty) September 13, 2012
This is dad, before hopping onto the train to Otaru 小樽. twitter.com/greatswifty/st…
— Edmund Yeo (@greatswifty) September 13, 2012
The train ride to Otaru was rather brief, perhaps it was around 40 minutes.
![Dad on the train to Otaru](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8036/7983254453_7a06245b90.jpg)
![Dad on the train to Otaru](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8037/7983262926_c72c8632ec.jpg)
In front of the Otaru station.
![Dad, in front of Otaru station](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8320/7983324196_96e59b30c1.jpg)
I made my way to the Otaru canal that I heard so much about.
Aha. So this is the famous Otaru canal.@ 小樽運河 instagr.am/p/PgYFXvpxPo/
— Edmund Yeo (@greatswifty) September 13, 2012
![Aha. So this is the famous Otaru canal.](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8440/7981816468_4f68eb8d7c.jpg)
![Dad at the Otaru canal](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8320/7983315416_56e9b65b6a.jpg)
![A boat passing by the Otaru canal](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8033/7983266486_2c6ba894a0.jpg)
![A building by the canal](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8036/7983311280_683c168ea9.jpg)
![Dad and I, at the Otaru canal](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8037/7983387810_74f02942ed.jpg)
I really want to visit this canal again, during winter, and see the place covered in snow.
![Otaru canal](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8181/7983316337_f974c85786.jpg)
Took a break and had some butter ramen. Dad had a big bowl of seafood champon.
Dad trying some seafood champon. Otaru specialty? twitter.com/greatswifty/st…
— Edmund Yeo (@greatswifty) September 13, 2012
Dad claimed that this meal was the defining moment of the trip.
We continued our way through the streets of Otaru.
![Otaru streets](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8315/7983307356_4cf96abdd3.jpg)
At that time, on Facebook, my friend Yihwen was asking me to try out the 5 flavor ice-cream. The shop was along the way, but I went for 6 flavors instead.
Because I'm greedy, I requested for a 6 flavor ice cream instead of the usual 5 flavor that they serve. Very epic. twitter.com/greatswifty/st…
— Edmund Yeo (@greatswifty) September 13, 2012
(the truth is that, out of the 6 flavors to choose from, I really didn't know which one to drop, so the nice lady just suggested that I go for all, so I did.)
Nevertheless, sightseeing while Facebooking, and having a friend suggest places to you in real-time, is something I never would've imagined just 2 years ago.
After the epic seafood champon and the epic 6-flavor ice-cream, I finally reached the famous music box museum of Otaru.
![Dad in front of the Otaru music box museum](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8461/7983278472_46dbc941d5.jpg)
The famous music box museum of Otaru! twitter.com/greatswifty/st…
— Edmund Yeo (@greatswifty) September 13, 2012
It is a very interesting place, beautifully melodious sounds from music boxes of all shapes and sizes filled the air.
![The music box museum of Otaru](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8304/7983299457_0e8c8e4230.jpg)
![The music box museum of Otaru 2](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8316/7983300226_98ccc30d93.jpg)
![The music box museum of Otaru 4](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8314/7983269990_1c739b8149.jpg)
![The music box museum of Otaru 3](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8039/7983295624_80ae7d46d4.jpg)
![The music box museum of Otaru 5](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8173/7983285671_cb5cf388f8.jpg)
![The music box museum of Otaru 6](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8462/7983281999_14e25a30e9.jpg)
![The music box museum of Otaru 7](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8029/7983277177_ccf5b7e737.jpg)
Once we were done with the museum, we went to the cafe next door to sample its seemingly popular cheesecake, and some iced coffee.
![Dad and I, enjoying some coffee and cheesecake after the Otaru trip](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8461/7983383363_2b11cd1cb6.jpg)
Quite a classy place, this Otaru.
UPDATED: It is only a day after visiting the place that I realized that Otaru is where Shunji Iwai's LOVE LETTER (1995) was shot.
Knowing my adoration for the film during my teenage days, mom and dad had mentioned repeatedly that I should try to "visit the LOVE LETTER place" when I come to Hokkaido, and I just brushed them off, saying that the place was probably rather far away. I was wrong, I did end up visiting the place without knowing it. Of course, without the snow, it was unrecognizable.