Japanese Jaunt with a rugby ball Where Eddies dare

Today we are planning to look at some Olympic heritage and and another single subject museum,  namely the Sapporo Beer Museum. Below is the Sapporo clock tower. American styled and financed, and built in 1878 this is Sapporo's oldest building. It was a drill hall for an agricultural college, to help "develop "an island that had been doing perfectly well for centuries as run by its indigenous peoples. They of course were doomed once the Industrial age was thrust upon them. The clock is an American import made by E Howard who went on to found the Waltham Watch Company.

Still in regular use, you will recognize a ski jump venue. This is from the bottom looking up in case you haven't tried ski jumping.

If you do want to give it a go (like Eddie) then this is the view from the top. Believe me it's scary.

The centre is an attraction for school parties and tourists. Whilst we were there we saw a number of be-suited businessmen. Maybe they were doing some sort of bizarre management training involving a no snow ski jump. The mind boggles. Do have a look at the brilliant autumnal colours it's the acers that give the really vibrant yellows and reds. Bottom left of the landing area is the Olympic Museum. It tackles the Olympic spirit as well as having artifacts from the 1972 event. There is also a ski jump simulator which proved to be something of a damp squib. Apparently I made 88ms and Helen made 91 but I'm not sure the machine was quite right.

Another obviously western influenced building, if you look closely you will spot the brick laying is English bond. It started life as a textile mill in the 1880s but at the turn of the century became home to the Sapporo Brewery company. The red star is their logo 

This brewery claims that it is the only one in the world that grows all its own barley and hops. This rather fine stained glass window makes the point with the blue representing water but I'm not sure about the last ingredient, yeast.

A large brewing vat at the start of the walk around Museum.

At the end of the self guided tour you get the chance to enjoy the product at a bargain price. Yes they do make an alcohol free beer.

We finished the day with dinner on the day with a dinner on the second level up from where the legs join the tower. 

This is the view from our table looking down the Odori gardens. In the distance the illuminated building stretching across the park is the old Court of Appeal and further on, standing almost alone is the ski jump that we visited this morning. 

Next morning it was time to head back to Tokyo. The railway runs alongside the coast as you can see there was a good breeze blowing.