Sorry for the mess, but I hope you guys don’t mind that changes mean less than perfect.

If you’re already here, or have been here, or are planning to come here to Hokkaido, you might notice how much construction is going on in and around Sapporo Station. Even though I don’t really have the right or the responsibilty to do so, I feel like I should apologize in advance because I consider this my home.

In any case, this whole thing is going to be a long process.

The last few years, the station has been rearranging its interior to match the construction of the new platform for the Shinkansen line. Currently, the Shinkansen’s last stop from Honshu is in Hokuto-Hakodate. It’s not finished yet but it’s meant to stop in Sapporo and maybe even beyond the city and expand up north until Wakkanai.

The actual construction is in constant flux, which seems to mirror the Shinkansen’s date of completion. Previously, it was meant to be completed in 2030. Now, it’s been moved to 2038. And you can’t even guarantee that it will be finished that year. That might be moved in the future, too.

The goalpost keeps moving, and along with that, the station will also adjust.

Honestly, I was not happy to the disruption of my routine. Before, it was clear where the shops were, where the tourist information area was, where the ticket machines were. Now everything has moved and whatever information I post will most likely change in the future because everything is so temporary.

The exits and entrances around the station also keep changing. Those exits and entrances have either been blocked off or moved to another side of the station. The underground pathways can no longer be accessed as a shortcut. Now you have to actually leave the building and find another path. Elevators and escalators are no longer working as they did before.

To put it bluntly, the Station is really ugly right now as its makeshift booths and walls have created a confusing maze of unknown routes and passages.

But at least we know there’s an end to this madness. It’s something to look forward to when the construction is finished and we see what the final iteration of Sapporo Station will be. The plans to complete it are there. And if the Japanese say they will build it, then they will definitely build it. If they don’t, people will riot. We’re talking a whole ‘nother story if the project never gets finished. I know I don’t want to left with a station that’s half naked with its flimsy walls and electrical wires hanging about.

In my area, Kitahiroshima is also undergoing some changes. Construction for the new station that leads to the Nippon Ham Fighters Ballpark (EsCon Field) is still chugging along. You might have noticed it if you’ve ridden the JR and passed it on your way to Sapporo Station from the airport.

The JR has had to make adjustments to allow for the rush of visitors to the ballpark during games. It’s a pain in the ass, but I’ve come to accept is as part of life here in Hokkaido. It is what it is, unfortunately.

Once this new station is finished, game day operations should run more smoothly. It will take a few years, but hopefully things will work out the way they were meant to.

All this long-winded rambling is to say that my blog is also currently undergoing some construction. The underlying theme of this post is that changes are ongoing. I know I’ve been away for a couple of years, but I’m back to hopefully keep it up again.