Aomori and Noshiro

We went to Aomori and Noshiro in early May, 2012. We stayed three nights in each city.

Aomori has a population of 290,000 and Noshiro has 55,000.

We flew into Tokyo, stayed overnight, then bullett trained to Aomori.  This trip took three hours.

AOMORI

The waterfront Nebuta Museum is surrounded by red metal slats, twisted and turned. The museum celebrates the annual Nebuta Festival when several metre high, made similar to lantern (?) like floats make their way down the streets.

Art in the museum.

Fish markets.

Tulips on the street.

The tourist info centre is near the top of this seaside building.

Street sculpture.

In Munakata's Art Gallery grounds.

HAKKODA

If you are a cable car /ropeway kind of tourist, take the hour bus trip from Aomori to Hakkoda Ski Resort.

HIROSAKI

Hirosaki is a delightful town 45 minutes south by train.

The Castle Gardens are beautiful.

The temple district amazing.

RESORT SHIRAKAMI PLEASURE TRAIN

That is what Japan Travel calls the tourist train that runs from Aomori to Akita along the north-western coast of Honshu.  The trip takes about five hours, including wee stops for photo taking.

For train lovers, a must.

There is live music.  And the views:

To eat rice from north eastern Japan is to taste rice totally differently. A bowl of rice, just rice is a joy.

NOSHIRO

Noshiro is the second last stop of the tourist train, and is about an hour from north of Akita.

On the last day in Noshiro we hired a taxi to take us around to the sea side tower, and other places of interest.  At times we asked the driver if she would mind waiting while we walked around. After about an hour and a half, we returned to the hotel, and got our wallets out.  She would only take the equivalent of twenty dollars !  I tried to give her more, but her response was "I hope you enjoyed Noshiro". 

Kanayu is an old magnificent building built using the local cedar.

Kaze no Matsubara is one of the largest pine groves in Japan.  It is next to the sea, and provides many a peaceful path to wonder down.  If lucky, you too can see the national bird of Japan there. (Our shot is blurred unfortunately).

A shrine at the entrance.

Ah, a week earlier and Noshiro Park would have been ablaze of azalea colour.

Just out of Noshiro was an abandoned train ! Next to an abandoned train tunnel used as a sake warehouse.  Now did we go to see the train or the ~~~~~

AKITA

Akita is an hours trip south of Noshiro. There are beautiful gardens with a stunning array of azalias.  There is a renovated castle with an elevator in it. There is the Serion Tower at the port, with views from 100 metres up. And museums .  Walking down a street we saw our first ever yellow azalia ! We only had a day but hope to go back and stay for a week.