Since coming to Hokkaido, I've had an insatiable desire to see every square inch of the island, which has led me to develop a small fascination with Hokkaido's 道の駅 (Michi-no-Eki). Translated as "Road station", or "Rest stop", they're kind of like train stations for automobiles. The usually funkily (is that a word?) designed buildings have information about the area and are complete with restrooms, a souvenir shop, a restaurant, and most importantly, Michi-no-Eki magnets.

There are 92 Michi-no-Eki's strategically placed all throughout Hokkaido, forcing one to visit the far-flung towns and regions of the island just to buy these ¥250 magnets. In some cases, there is no other reason to visit! Each of the magnets has a cartoon picture of the region's mascot or a stylistic depiction of the its main attractions. Aibetsu, for example, has a superman-esque mascot with a mushroom-shaped head and an 'A' on his chest. Ashoro is apparently famous for feet. My town is slightly more normal and has a tulip mascot in honor of our yearly Tulip Festival.

I've been able to collect 32 magnets so far on my various journeys throughout Hokkaido, and I still have a long way to go.. literally and metaphorically. This was inspired by a previous ALT - Nik - who boldly managed to collect all 92 magnets during his four years in Hokkaido. I'm determined to complete this task in two years. My goal is to collect them all as a testament to my time spent here in Japan, my devotion to see all of Hokkaido, and my slight OCD obsession with these kinds of things. My future fridges are destined to be decorated with tangible memories of the sights and sounds of Hokkaido. Wish me luck and safe travels.

My magnet collection