Hokkaido Day 6
Be a Deer, won't you?
End of day 6 in Hokkaido (1/29/2026). Today was less about looking at accessibility features in planned environments, and more about looking at natural features and thinking about ways of making them more accessible through programmatic accessibility, and more thinking about how to host events that bring people from afar.
It was extremely fun to be out on the lake - film crew in tow - but the real highlight of the day was going out and actually seeing some of the local fauna here at Lake Akan, starting with the Yezo Deer that are endemic. They look... similar-ish to the deer we have back in Washington, but have these thick necks, and make a squeaky-toy sound when they vocalize.
Apart from this, I visited a museum that had information both about the indigenous ethnic group, the Ainu, as well as natural features of lake Akan that make it academically and ecologically important. The Ainu people, much like the various indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest, are alive today and carry on traditions that are older than any written history has recorded.
Saw some volcanic mud flats, walked over the lake to an island (scary, the ice even broke at one point), and learned what “Marimo” are. The algae balls aren’t just algae surrounding rocks - they are balls of aggregating algae that only live in Hokkaido (mostly), and flourish the most in lake Akan. They are somehow the cutest things I’ve ever seen.
It was also Day 2 of filming, which was very fun to do. Out on the lake, I was filmed doing a variety of winter sports, from being whipped around on a banana boat on the ice to driving a snow buggy in a race. Then, I had Ainu cuisine for dinner and got to try “Ruipe/Ruibe” for the first time. It was rather delicious.
Still, I’m excited to keep in touch with some of the folks I’ve met here at lake Akan, and will be heading out tomorrow to Obihiro and Otofuke. Onwards...!
The best way to keep up with further conversations is to be a subscriber to The Lanyard Board, and to check out The Lanyard Board on social media.
The Lanyard Board is supported by readers like yourself. If you can, please support the project on Ko-Fi and tip the suggested amount of $2 for every month you feel a spark of enjoyment, insight or curiosity from The Lanyard Board.
Thanks for reading The Lanyard Board! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.