Japanese National Voluntarily Paints An Overpass In Baguio City

It's no secret that a lot of the overpasses in Baguio City are in disarray. Floors that get flooded with water when it rains. Roofs that leak. And paint jobs that are either peeling off or are covered with soot, dust, etc. This is not to mention the litter that people wantonly drop on the sides of the overpasses. Go to town and look at the overpasses. They are drearily dull. They lack brightness.

It's the lackluster appearance of the overpasses that made a Japanese national living and working in the city to start painting an overpass there. It's an attempt to give the overpass a touch of color. It's a commendable act. But at the same time it makes you feel a bit of shame. It's like looking at your own house being overhauled for free by a guest or a stranger.

Querobin XD, a Facebook user, took a photo of the Japanese man painting the railing of the overpass and posted it online. If I'm not mistaken, the overpass in question is the one connecting the Baguio Center Mall to the City Public Market.

The man's name is Mazakasu Nose. And this isn't the first time he's been seen doing things for the city. If you regularly pass by Session Road, Harrison Road, or the overpass in front of Maharlika, chances are you've come across Nose picking up trash there. With a black garbage bag and a tong in tow, Nose roams the said roads and overpass most mornings to pick up trash.

Nose has been a resident of Baguio City for quite some time. He now runs a small stall at the Baguio Center Mall called Masaya Takoyaki. He sells takoyaki and waffles. A takoyaki is a "ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus (tako), tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger, and green onion. Takoyaki are brushed with takoyaki sauce (similar to Worcestershire sauce) and mayonnaise, and then sprinkled with green laver (aonori) and shavings of dried bonito (katsuobushi). There are many variations to the takoyaki recipe, for example, ponzu (soy sauce with dashi and citrus vinegar), goma-dare (sesame-and-vinegar sauce) or vinegared dashi." [Wikipedia]

Nose promotes his takoyaki stall by handing out fliers almost everyday at the top of an escalator at the Baguio Center Mall. His stall is located at the third floor.

As a way of appreciating the good works of this selfless Japanese man, we can give back by patronizing his takoyaki stall. He more than deserves it.

Image credit: Querubin XD via Facebook.