If you asked me the question "where would you live in Japan if you could" right now, I think Aomori prefecture might just top my list. Granted, if you had asked me two days ago, I definitely would have said Hokkaido. And if you ask me again in a few days, that answer might just change. But right now, I'm all about Aomori!
After leaving Nibutani, I drove to Shin-Chitose Airport, flew to Aomori Airport, picked up my final rental car, then drove to Hirosaki to check into a new hotel to spend my next two nights.
Elegance from the entrance way! (It took me two days to get this picture perfect enough...)
The Hirosaki Park Hotel is located close to midway between Hirosaki Station and Hirosaki Castle. Very convenient for me, as I had to be at the train station quite early to catch the first of my trains for the day!
Because I was staying in Hirosaki, I did a round trip by train starting from Hirosaki station down south to Odate in Akita prefecture, east to Higashi-Noshiro station, then back north on the Gono Line to end up in Hirosaki again. Which meant leaving very early in the morning!
Good morning Mt. Iwaki!
My first train to Odate was a regular commuter train, filled with sleepy-eyed students and a few businessmen reading newspapers.
I'm pretty sure I rode the exact same train twice...
From Hirosaki I arrived at Odate station in Akita Prefecture. Odate is famous as the birthplace of the Akita breed of dog. You might have heard the story of Hachiko, the faithful dog whose statue stands in Shibuya, Tokyo. Hachiko is an Akita-ken and has made it a popular breed.
I left the station for a few minutes to grab some pictures
From Odate I went to Higashi-Noshiro through the misty mountains. The sun came out near the end of my trip to burn the mist off, but until then it was a little worrying when I looked out the window!
Pretty! But not good for taking pictures
I would like to mention that taking pictures on a fast-moving train is very difficult. Many times I would think I had taken a great view picture only to check and see... ah! not again! ... a tree or plant had ruined the picture. Very frustrating! Luckily at Higashi-Noshiro I switched to the Resort Shirakami, the sightseeing train that runs on the Gono Line.
This is it!
There are three types of trains that run from Aomori to Akita and vice versa along the beautiful Gono Line. Today I rode the Aoike, a hybrid train named for the famous bright blue-colored pond in the World Heritage Site Shirakami Sanchi, which the Gono Line runs by. The other two trains are the Buna (a green-themed train), and the Kumagera (which is red and yellow).
They are apparently brothers fighting the evil typhoon and big wave...
I'm ready!
The train has big (clean!) windows for great views, and two types of seats: regular double seats on each side of the train, and booth-type seats that seat 4 or more people with a table in the middle. I had a double-type seat for this trip.
My seat for this trip
And the booth-style seats
I bought an "eki-ben", or a lunch box specially made to be eaten on the train, first thing since I didn't want to miss out. Then, I waited for the spectacular views to come. And come they did! One special feature about the Resort Shirakami trains is that they slow down to a slow speed at key points, so you can enjoy the scenery for a longer time (and take lots of pictures!).
The sun came out from behind the clouds just as I took this picture!
My pictures just don't do the beauty of the Sea of Japan coast justice...
At a few stations you can get out for a few minutes to get stamps, or to shoot a basket for a special prize (I didn't win), or just to stretch your legs. At Fukaura, one such stop, I heard a train whistle as I took pictures from the platform. Maybe... maybe... YES! It was another Resort Shirakami train, this time the Kumagera, heading toward Akita!
Two trains for one! Thanks, Fukaura!
From Fukaura, the weather got progressively worse, and the wind stronger. At a few places, the train had to stop completely because the wind was too strong to continue. I took the opportunity to eat my ekiben, special chicken rice from Akita, as well as drink some Aomori apple juice.
Since we are stopped anyway...
Look at those clouds!
Once you turn inwards from the coast towards Hirosaki and Aomori, there is something else to entertain you besides looking out the window:
A Tsugaru-style shamisen performance!
This style of shamisen from the Tsugaru region of Aomori (called Tsugaru-jamisen in Japanese) is difficult enough to play, and these two were not only skilled musicians, but they played on the bouncing, rocking, shaking train! Amazing!
Between listening to the traditional style music and looking at the scenery, my return to Hirosaki station came quickly.
Just in case you forgot which produce is famous in the area... here is a giant reminder!
I made a brief stop at my hotel and then headed out into Hirosaki to view the castle, but the weather wasn't great. I got to see the castle renovation, but a few drops of rain drove me back to the hotel pretty quickly. There, I got ready for dinner with a twist...
Aomori, I love you!
...a live Tsugaru-jamisen performance during dinner! What could be better?
Well, next up is Akita. Let's see what new adventures this trip brings next!
One of the largest online hotel and ryokan booking sites in Japan