By Ben Mirin, CIR
Some fun facts:
- (Video time: 04:01): Akamatsukaido (Red Pine Street) is Nanae’s central road. Its name honors the majestic Japanese Red Pines that line both sides for several kilometers. The trees were planted for two respective visits from the Emperor Meiji, in 1876 and 1881. Although nonnative to Hokkaido, some 1200 to 1300 trees still stand today. These trees are featured in “This is Nanae!”, a documentary by former CIR, Bobby Kargula.
- (04:13) Nanamitsuki: Nana, meaning seven, refers to Nanae. Mitsu refers to the sweet, golden flesh at the center of certain apple varieties, such as the Red Gold.