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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Enjoy the ever-changing scenery of Aomori aboard the Resort Shirakami.
I think there are places that are attractive because they are difficult to get to. Nowadays, you can see any place in the world on the Internet, and you can go to any remote place by car. But I'd like to try to go by local train and bus! That's my travel style.
I headed to Hirosaki Station, heading for the train I had checked on the app the day before, and found a ekiben corner called "Tsugaru-ben". The local inari I had been curious about since before the trip... was there! I'm sure I had some inari on my first trip (lol), but I had heard that Aomori inari is "pink-colored," which is a little beyond my imagination, so I decided to give it a try!
The train I took this time was the Gono Line "Resort Shirakami" that runs along the coastline of the Sea of Japan. Many people plan their trip to Aomori just to ride this train, and on this day I met a solo traveler who had flown to Aomori and come from there to ride this train. In addition to your own seat, this train also has a shared space where you can sit facing the window so that you can enjoy the scenery to the fullest. Just when you thought you had made a switchback, you were surrounded by apple orchards on both sides, then vineyards, and then the endless rural scenery of the Tsugaru Plain... I was busy looking at the scenery (sigh). On the way back, the new train car I took even had seats at the bar counter and booth seats. It's nice to take a short trip by rental car, but experiencing various vehicles is also a great time for travel lovers.
From here, we'll start our train journey! We'll depart from Hirosaki Station and head to Goshogawara!
Enjoy a mini trip at Resort Shirakami Kumagera ♪
The shared space faces the window and the front is open, allowing you to fully enjoy your train journey.
All seats are reserved.
They were selling "Tsugaru dialect" at Hirosaki Station.
Two "Tsugaru Inari-san" are priced at 290 yen. A very reasonable price.
I immediately unfolded it on the train. Oh! Pink. It really was pink. The texture was chewy like Domyoji rice. It was colored glutinous rice. It was a sweet and salty inari with a hint of ginger.
The return trip was the "Resort Shirakami - Buna" train, a four-car train.
The box seats look like they would be great for a group trip! They seem like they would provide some private space. On the day we visited, there were many groups of people of all ages and genders using them.
One car is turned into a bar called "Oraho (Our Area) Counter." Take a break with a glass of apple juice. Not only do they have a wide selection of local gourmet food and alcohol, but they also have a wide selection of souvenirs.
A single track line amongst apple orchards is lovely.
The large windows allow you to enjoy the view. The vast plains continue.
Take a photogenic shot at Takayama Inari Shrine, home to a thousand torii gates.
Takayama Inari Shrine is located near the rough tides of the Sea of Japan, and its main hall stands majestically in a pine forest planted as a sand-prevention forest. When you see the red torii gates that curve like dragons in the expansive garden, you are transported to another world, and the weight of history can be felt in the auxiliary shrines and sub-shrines and the rows of foxes. The scenery was truly beautiful.
This shrine has been gradually gaining popularity in recent years, but on the day I visited there were few people there, so I was able to have the fantastical scenery all to myself. As it is close to the sea, many people come to pray for maritime traffic safety and for the calming of the sea, and it is revered as the guardian deity of the region. It is said that before Inari Shrine was built, its predecessor, Sanno (Sanno) Shrine, was already enshrined here, dating back to the Kamakura period. It is a popular spot right now, as it has a historical and profound feel, but also offers fantastical scenery.
Now, on our way to the shrine, we arrived at Goshogawara Station.
The old building in front of the station still has a wheel mark from the Japan National Railways era.
From here, I changed to a bus. I got a small discount when I bought a round-trip ticket at the Konan bus stop.
There are few buses, so be careful not to miss the one. The vertical Chinese numerals give it a nice atmosphere. Once you get on the bus to "Takayama Shrine Entrance", it's a 5-minute taxi ride from there.
This is the Takayama Shrine Entrance bus stop. You can also take the bus back to Goshogawara from here.
And then we arrived at the large torii gate of Takayama Inari Shrine. We finally arrived!
Climb the 96 steps to reach the main shrine.
A pine tree bent by the strong winds blowing in from the Sea of Japan. A fox can be seen between the trees, wearing a hand towel that someone has placed over it.
It's a magnificent worship hall. Many donated lanterns are lined up.
Burdock-tied rope. It is worshipped as a god of bountiful harvests, prosperous business, and as a guardian of the sea.
There are dragon carvings. Prayers and other ceremonies are held inside. It has been a special place since ancient times, and is where the Sanno Shrine was located.
There are two big foxes on either side. One of them is holding a "jewel" that has been considered sacred since ancient times.
The other one is holding a key in its mouth. There are various origins for this, but one theory is that the "ball and key" became the chant "Tama-ya" and "Kagi-ya" (store names) that are used when fireworks are set off.
The main hall could be seen from inside the worship hall.
The coffered ceiling is decorated with flowers of the four seasons. 317 flowers and birds were painted by Yasukawa Jofu, a palace painter from Kyoto, with the hope that not only visitors but also the gods would see something beautiful.
Behind the worship hall and main hall is Sanno Shrine, which was originally enshrined here. This is also a shrine that you should definitely visit.
An elephant and a lion, perhaps? There were also sculptures carved into the Sanno Shrine. It is close to the sea and the strong sea breeze blows, but it has been carefully preserved while being reconstructed.
We arrived at Senbon Torii. This is a very popular spot right now.
If you climb up to the observation point, you will see a thousand torii gates arranged like dragons in a long, narrow garden. It's full of energy!
A view of a row of Inari shrines.
Crossing the arched bridge over the lotus pond is the "Ryujingu Shrine". It is the god of water. Depending on the season, you can see cherry blossoms. It is 5 to 10 minutes from the shrine to the Sea of Japan. As it is an area with rough waves, people who work on the sea may have come here to pray for safety.
If you think of the Senbon Torii as the body of a giant dragon, then this gate is exactly where the dragon's head is. Of course, you can pray here, but a stroll through this garden will leave you feeling refreshed and your soul will be cleansed.
How about a hearty hamburger steak in Goshogawara? "Coffee Poet."
It was lunchtime when we returned to Goshogawara Station by bus from Takayama Inari Shrine. We had lunch at Coffee Poet, a coffee and meal shop that is popular among locals. The spacious two-story shop has an open atrium in the middle, allowing the sunlight to stream in softly, making it a pleasant place to shop. The floors are separated into smoking and non-smoking areas, and quiet background music plays inside, allowing you to relax and unwind. The shop has 40 years of history in Goshogawara.
The popular hamburger steak can be had with a choice of demi-glace sauce or Japanese-style sauce. The hamburger steak set comes with a generous salad that is so big it almost feels like a main course, as well as a cup of soup and rice. The hamburger steak is wrapped around the steak with bacon. The delicious smoked aroma whets your appetite, encouraging you to take another bite after another. The demi-glace sauce has a strong sour taste with a strong vegetable flavor. The mixed ground hamburger steak has a lot of pork and a juicy texture. The steak is so big that they bring extra sauce if you run out.
The coffee roasted in-house is also popular. It seems that jazz sessions were held here before, and the piano and bass in the middle of the store added to the atmosphere. A cute girl who seems to be a local student works there, and she provides friendly service. I hope that this store will continue to be loved by the locals.
We returned to the bus stop in time to catch the bus, and then took an hour to get back to Goshogawara. The first thing we did in Goshogawara was have lunch at "Coffee Poet."
The center of the store is an open ceiling, so it feels very spacious. There is a piano and a bass guitar. It's a great place for live jazz performances.
The second floor. The floors are separated into smoking and non-smoking areas. Every seat is bright and sunny, making for a pleasant atmosphere.
I ordered the popular hamburger steak, which came with a generous amount of salad, a cup of soup, and extra sauce.
The hamburger steak is surrounded by fragrant bacon, and the sour sauce is lighter than you'd expect.
Their home-roasted coffee is also popular. There are quiet seats so you can relax.
It's about 5 minutes from the station. It's on a corner so it's easy to find!
Look up at the Tachineputa Museum! Be moved by the impressive Neputa floats.
I didn't know much about Aomori Prefecture's summer festival, "Nebuta." However, this time I visited right in the middle of Nebuta preparations, and I encountered many scenes that made me feel the growing enthusiasm of the locals for Nebuta. There are various "Nebuta" and "Neputa" in Aomori Prefecture, and the Tachineputa is a long, vertical style unique to Goshogawara City, and is said to be as tall as a six- or seven-story building.
The Tachineputa, which are used in the annual festival that takes place every summer, can be seen all year round at the Tachineputa Museum in front of Goshogawara Station. Once inside the building, the lights are dimmed.
Then all of a sudden, the lights inside the Neputa were turned on. How vibrant! They looked so powerful and heroic, and the way they approached me right in front of me gave me the impression that I was wearing 3D glasses. I could feel it even when they weren't moving, so I can only imagine how exciting it must be during a festival! The motifs were all captivating, ranging from seductive to full of spirit. This is a must-see spot where you can get a first-hand experience of Japanese culture and be drawn into the world of festivals.
The Tachineputa House is located close to Coffee Poet. It is particularly taller than the surrounding buildings! There is an open atrium inside, and a neputa float over 20 meters tall is installed.
In Goshogawara city, the preparations for the viewing stands for the Neputa festival had begun. The town was in high spirits for the festival.
In front of the station there is what appears to be a warehouse where the Neputa are assembled. It's fine to make them here, but how do they get to the top...?
Now, let's meet the Goshogawara Neputa. Wow, they're huge!
It's not just big. The delicate painting, the three-dimensional feel. The expressions that give off a sense of power and sensuality, the dynamism. Because it's three-dimensional, even the same Neputa changes expression depending on the angle you look at it from. This is based on "Izumo no Okuni," who is said to be the originator of Kabuki.
You can view it from various angles, from above, from the side, and from below, by walking down a spiral walkway that runs along the wall from the upper floors of the building.
It's definitely expensive when you look at it like this! The word "Unkan" means "Milky Way" in Chinese. Since Neputa is a summer festival, these words are written on it.
It's so detailed! The painting is done by dividing the work among different people, but it's still very delicate. And it has a glossy finish, as if it were painted with lacquer.
Even though it is a huge creation, each picture is intricately detailed, and the quality is extremely high in terms of design and technique. The motifs are layered to create a unique three-dimensional effect, creating a powerful sense of impact that makes them seem as if they are jumping out at you.
Even random and chaotic shapes like waves and splashes of water can be expressed like this using wooden frames. It's amazing.
There was also one with a calm expression like this. Perhaps it represents dynamism and serenity.
Children hold these goldfish Neputa floats in a procession. You can look around the Tachineputa Museum in about 30 minutes.
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
