Almost all residents of Hokkaido know and have tasted the sweets made by Saka Nutrition Food Co. Sapporo. I really like their “Saka Line-Sand Biscuit.” Meanwhile, most of the inhabitants of Hokkaido don’t know about the private retro-goods museum that is run by this biscuit company beside the confectionery factory in Sapporo. I’ve been there three times because the collection was enormous and the conversations with the museum director, Mr. Kazutaka Saka, was always very fun for me. When I visited the museum in the summer of 2002 for the first time, I was surprised by the great many pieces of junk all over the floor. I mean, these were not just junk but treasures for a middle-aged person like me because all of them remind us of our good old days.
Old magazines, lighters, pennants of tourist spots, bound Lica-chan dolls, posters of idols from the ’80s, and promotional piggy banks crowded the hall. Mr. Saka told me that most of the exhibits were handed over to him for free when he assisted his friend with moving or tearing down old houses. He always thought that this junk would be a treasure someday. When everyone recognizes it as a precious thing, we buy it at a high price. He is proud that he could build his collection practically for free! Recently, many people have been donating their retro goods to this museum. On the other hand, some idiots have stolen the Suntory promotional dolls, “Uncle Tris,” twice. Mr. Saka tried to charge an entrance fee for burglar-proofing, but it is free to enter this private museum now.
Leave a reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.