Aomori to Hirosaki(B-11)⭐⭐⭐’23,7th,Oct

2023年10月14日2023年10月29日

This route B-11 is in Area-B “Tohoku". See Area-B map/ See Japan map

Sight & Entertainment ⭐⭐⭐

Food & Drinks ⭐⭐⭐

Easiness　⭐⭐⭐⭐

Road condition ⭐⭐⭐

Safety　⭐⭐⭐

We had 3 days holiday in this week and I planned to cycle from Aomori to Akita. It’s totally 240km cycling but I wanted to enjoy this northern culture so it took 3days. On the first day, I planned to stay in Hirosaki city which I had wanted to visit someday.

Since it was the first day of 3 day holiday, Tokyo station was crowded in the morning(pic.1). In such case there is a risk that I can’t get the space of my bike at the end of the car, so I arrived at the terminal 40min before its departure and became the 1st person of the queue.

It was AM11:51 when the Shinkansen reached Shin-Aomori station. So I took a lunch at the station. There was a local cuisine restaurant who served Shijimi(freshwater clam) ramen(pic.2). This Shijimi comes from Jusan-ko(lake), North West of Aomori and is very famous in JPN. The soup taste was light-salty.

Just after stating from Shin-Aomori station(pic.3), it started raining. So I had to take a shelter from the rain under a high way(pic.4). Fortunately it stopped in 15min and I resumed cycling toward south.

Soon the road came to the mountain and fortunately there was one route, Prefectural route 247 was running side by side with a busy road R-7, it was nice for cycling(pic.5). But after passing the mountain, there was only one route, R-7(pic.6), which was wide but not well maintained for cyclists.

Gradually Mt.Iwaki can be seen in front of me(pic.7). There were thick clouds on the top but I knew I could see the whole mountain next day according to the weather forecast.

It didn’t take so much time before reaching my hotel. So I could go sight seeing at 15:00 without my bike. First I visited “Tsugaru Neputa village" where it introduces this region’s and one of the biggest Neputa festival held in Aomori prefecture. It’s entrance fee was only \600- but there was a show of Shamisen play(pic.8) by one of a professional player.

If you want to experience the real festival, pls come this region in August.

Next visiting destination was Hirosaki castle. Just neighbor of Neputa village. This castle was built in early 17thC but today’s main tower was rebuilt in 19th C after its burnt down in 17thC and only the tower was relocated into current position in 20th C. It’s very famous castle for cherry blossoms in spring season.

The closing time of castle tower was 16:45 and I reached there just a few minutes before. It was 3 story building and you can learn the history of this Tsugaru area in it.

After sun set, it became very cold outside. When I came to the outer moat of the castle, I found many autumn leaves(pic.9-3) though it’s still in early Oct as expected North JPN.

It was still 5:30PM when I came back to the city but the restaurants I checked beforehand opens at 6:30PM. But I could not wait for 1hr in such cold air. So when I found a JPN tavern “Tsugaruji-Yasaburo" in the center of city, soon I entered it.

It served local foods like flounder(flounder is designated as Aomori prefecture’s fish), garlic(Aomori garlic is very famous for health supplement), and gamecock as well as local Sake. The tavern was run by a very old couple so they don’t let many customers eat there. I was the first guest so I could seat and enjoy the dinner but many coming later were refused to enter. It’s better to book beforehand or find other restaurants if you don’t book.

It was passed 8:00PM when I came out of the tavern. It’s just 10C outside which was so cold for me since I came from Tokyo area, still hot in this season.