Ai Nishimura
Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.
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On the last day, we rushed around Kuroishi before our flight. We walked quickly around the Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings (hereafter referred to as Jyudenken). There is a lot of gourmet food in Kuroishi! We enjoyed Aomori until the last minute.
Walk down Komise Street, a remaining street from the Edo period.
It's 30 minutes by Konan Railway from Hirosaki. On the way, you'll pass Inakadate, famous for its "Rice Field Art," and enjoy the tranquil scenery from the train window. In Kuroishi City, you'll go to see Komise Street, which is designated as a Important Cultural Property.
Komise is a snow-proof path with a roof over the eaves in the snowy Tsugaru region. It is like a narrow arcade with a roof, and in winter, boards are placed on the ground to prevent snow falling from the roof from entering the komise, making it an easy-to-walk "sidewalk."
A roof is built only across the width of your house, and when the houses on the street do the same at the same time, a long covered road is created - a creation of wisdom and consideration that is unique to snowy regions. Moreover, this is private property and not a public road. It is an ingenious design created by the people of this snowy region, who are considerate of each other, for the people who come to shop in the shopping district. In Kuroishi, this design has remained unchanged since the Edo period, so it is a fascinating place for history buffs to be able to walk along the old roads even today.
Head to Kuroishi on the Konan Railway Kuroishi Line, departing from Hirosaki Station and ending at Kuroishi Station. It takes about 30 minutes to get there!
When you think of Kuroishi, you think of Kuroishi Tsuyu Yakisoba and the talented drummer... "Nyangoster."
I walked down Komise Street. It's great not only for the snow but also for the heat!
The endless rows of "komise" (small shops) were practical passageways in the days before snow removal was possible, and they must have generated profits for the stores and communication between people.
Narumi Brewery is located on Komise Street. If you make a reservation, you can tour the brewery. You can also sample the sake.
Kuroishi is a town perfect for strolling around.
In addition to the designated preservation sites, Kuroishi has many other things to see. Behind the shops built along the street, you will often find well-maintained gardens of various sizes. These gardens have a style called "Oishi Bugaku-ryu." They are characterized by the number and arrangement of stepping stones, as well as the installation of stone lanterns that make use of their rough, natural shapes. This style became popular throughout the Tsugaru region, and each home began competing to create their own garden.
The mochi culture is also not to be missed. As you would expect from the rice-producing Tsugaru region, the way mochi is eaten has changed in a way that makes you think, "This is how it is!?" and has been passed down to the present day. Terayama Mochiten offers Asaka Mochi, a double-glutinous rice treat with crushed rice sprinkled around the outside of a daifuku, and Matsubayado Matsumura is famous for its mochi sweets known as "boshiume." The bokko shoes from K Bokko give you an idea of how much snow there is and how cold the region is.
Speaking of Kuroishi, you can't go wrong with Kuroishi Tsuyu Yakisoba. If you go a little further, you can also find Aoni Onsen and Kuroishi Kokeshi Museum. We head back to Tokyo on the train, enveloped in the setting sun.
There's a lot to see in Aomori, and even though I've been to so many places, I still feel like I haven't fully explored it... It's a city I'd like to visit again. Also, I didn't understand the Tsugaru dialect at all (lol). That also created a unique atmosphere for the city, which was great.
"Matsu no Yu Community Center." Originally a bathhouse, it has now been renovated and is used as an event space and free space. The roof is pierced by a 350-year-old pine tree, which has become the building's symbol.
You might think it's an old-fashioned bathtub, but there's actually a cord coming out of the faucet! There are computers available to borrow for browsing and free Wi-Fi.
We were shown the Oishi Bugakuryu garden by Narumi Sake Brewery. Apparently, the people in this area competed with each other to create the most beautiful gardens.
There was a garden at the back of the clothing store "Noble". It was a small garden, but the arrangement of the stones gave it a sense of depth.
These are "Bocco shoes," which are useful in snowy regions. They are made by gluing together pieces of precious natural rubber. They keep your feet warm inside and are useful for farm work in the winter, so they are a very popular product with a waiting list of several months.
Asaka Mochi from Terayama Mochiten, located on Komise Street. It's an interesting product, with rice on top of rice! The crunchy yet soft texture of the mochi is exquisite, and it's so delicious you can eat as many as you want.
Matsubaya Matsumura's "Hoshiume" (dried plums). Mochi and white bean paste are wrapped in salted red shiso leaves. A refined sweet with the sweetness and saltiness of the white bean paste, topped with crunchy sugar. A perfect souvenir for someone special.
Sudo Reikaten is known affectionately for its nostalgic popsicles, known as "Stocans." I tried the strawberry one. It tasted just like the ones I had as a child! It was sweet, cold, and delicious.
There are many Kuroishi Tsuyu Yakisoba restaurants in the city. The restaurant in front of the station, Sugo Shokudo, serves Kuroishi's specialty "Kuroishi Tsuyu Yakisoba." The restaurant has a retro look.
When I ordered, I could hear the sound of yakisoba being made in the back of the store... But it looked like ramen or kakesoba. The noodles were thick and flat. A local delicacy of yakisoba topped with Japanese-style dashi.
"Please eat the soup and noodles together," says the lady at the restaurant. The sauce dissolves into the soup, changing the flavor. There is a fragrant sauce in the distance from the gentle soup. This flavor is truly one you won't find anywhere else, a taste of Kuroishi!
After a quick tour of Kuroishi, we returned to Hirosaki and took the airport bus to Aomori Airport. It was rainy during the first half of the trip, but there was plenty to see and we were able to see many Aomori landscapes that make us look forward to summer.
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
