Category: Japan

Since Hachinohe is not a very bustling city and not a well-known tourist area in Aomori Prefecture, there is no need to have high expectations for accommodation in Hachinohe. Just focus on convenience and cleanliness~

The famous triangle building in Aomori Prefecture houses a product hall, a tourist service center, a gift shop, a restaurant, and an observation deck. If you want to buy Aomori’s local specialties and souvenirs, besides A-Factory next to Aomori Station, this is the place to go.

The evening scene of Enburi is different from what I saw during the day. Not only are the performers different, but there are also some differences in the content…

Enburi is a winter festival in the Hachinohe region of Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is a harvest festival that prays for the arrival of spring. Unlike other typical festivals that are held in one location, Enburi involves different groups of people and horses, and takes place in various places. This year’s Enburi festival will be held from February 17th to February 20th, 2012. There is also another version called “Niwa Enburi”, which will be held from February 17th to February 22nd. The content of the activities is similar, but the locations are different.

Visiting distilleries, I don’t have much experience, currently only been to Hokkaido’s Otokoyama Brewery and Kyoto’s Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum (although this is a museum, not a brewery). The sake produced by this Hachinohe Shuzo Brewery mainly includes Mutsu Otokoyama and Mutsu Hassen. They used to not allow visits, but now they have started opening for tours to promote their sake… However, because it is a sake brewery, we still need to wear protective clothing to enter.

The first time someone sees the name “Tachineputa” (Japanese: 立佞武多) they might have the same thought as me: What is this? Do you remember the previous article I wrote about “Nebuta” (Japanese: ねぶた)? Well, “佞武多” is simply the Chinese characters for “ねぶた”. Each region has its own unique characteristics for their “Nebuta”, and the special feature of the “Nebuta” in Goshogawara is that they are all standing figures… So each one is particularly tall. If you want to see “Tachineputa” outside of the festival period, you have to go to the “Tachineputa no Yakata” (Tachineputa Museum) to see it!

Lake Towada becomes sparsely populated in winter. In order to promote tourism, the Lake Towada Winter’s Tale event has been held for 14 years now, starting from this year (2012). It’s fortunate that I can come here to witness this event.

Lake Towada is a volcanic lake that spans Aomori and Akita prefectures. As a result, the area is rich in hot spring resources. Towadaso is a hotel business in the Lake Towada region, offering a variety of accommodations.

I don’t have much artistic flair, nor do I have any talent in fine arts, so I really admire people who can paint and create. I’m in awe of their imagination and ability to bring their ideas to life. After seeing a bunch of century-old masterpieces at the Louvre, visiting the Towada Art Center gives me a different feeling. If you have the chance, you should definitely come and check it out! Especially during cherry blossom season, it’s highly recommended! Sorry, I got a bit off track. Well, let’s start writing the travelogue now.

It is a good choice to take a walk by the Lake Towada in the morning. However, unlike the brave Laura, I slept in until almost late and only got up then…