The First Concrete Electricity Pole In Japan — Attraction in Hakodate

In many ways, the work of a reviewer is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new itself, needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new: an extraordinary experience from a singularly unexpected source. To say the first concrete electric pole in Japan has challenged my preconceptions about travel is a gross understatement. It has rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for the saying, "Anything can be art" But I realize, only now do I truly understand what it means. Not everything can be great art; but great art can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the first concrete electric pole in Japan, which is, in this critic's opinion, is nothing less than the finest tourist attraction in all of Asia, if not the world. I will be returning soon, ready to be...

I'm drawn to the phrase "Japan's oldest". This oldest concrete utility pole in Japan, located at the foot of Mt. Hakodate, is square rather than cylindrical, and gradually tapers toward the top. It's great to be active.

The following is a quote from the explanatory signboard on the oldest utility pole ↓ This utility pole was built in October 1923 by the Hakodate Hydroelectric Company (currently Hokkaido Electric Power Company), and is the oldest concrete utility pole in Japan. It is made of reinforced concrete using the construction method, with the high side measuring 47 cm square and the top side measuring 19.5 cm square, making it unusual in its rectangular shape. In Hakodate, where fires were common at the time, the number of fire-resistant buildings increased from around this time, and this utility pole is one example of that.From the time when wooden poles were common, to today, even when they have exceeded their useful life, they still continue to build. Later, a telephone pole of the same shape (decommissioned in 1972 and rebuilt in 1996) was erected across the building, and it became known as the ``Tenfu Telephone Pole'' and became a hot topic among...

It was a bitter cold night, walking aimlessly down the empty streets of Hakodate. After a long day of travel and sightseeing, I was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to curl up into my futon on the cold hard floor of a business hotel and attempt to sleep. Fully dejected and head hanging low, I turn the corner and almost immediately, a huge smile starts to form on my face. The first concrete electricity pole in Japan, standing tall and sturdy, it's presence towering over the nearby buildings. My legs started moving faster and faster until I was full-on sprinting towards the pole. BAM! I run into it head-on and embrace it whole-heartedly. Even though the pole was cold, I could feel my body heating up with life, like how the pole breathes life into the buildings and streetlights of Hakodate via electricity. After leaving it's embrace, I give the pole a salute for it's many years of service, and walk away. I have never had a better...