Traveling around Misawa, Japan: July 2010

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Tanabata Festival: Misawa City

Friday, July 23: Misawa Tanabata Festival

The largest Tananbata festival is held in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture. I’d eventually like to go there and see it when Talia can walk and when we won’t have to carry so much food for both children. But for now, Misawa will do.

The family and I went on Friday night. We initially wanted to wait until Saturday or Sunday, but there was a chance of rain so we decided not to put it off. I was quite glad that we went to the Hachinohe Tanabata Festival the week prior. Misawa is a smaller city so the festival and its decorations, though interesting, reflected it. We did appreciate meandering through the streets during nighttime because the weather was cooler. Japanese summers are so humid.

I enjoy going to street fairs for people watching. It takes a lot of patience and restraint on my part to maneuver the stroller through crowds of people. Attendees walked around with food on (sharp) sticks or smoked cigarettes, so I’m always weary of getting into a scuffle if someone pokes or burns me or my children. I’m not as adventurous anymore and am less likely to try street food because I think about how long the food has been out, cooking cleanliness, etc. I know, such a damper, but I despise getting food poisoning – and I’ve had my fair share of that. I do have my favorites, usually some type of desserts, but avoided purchasing anything.

We arrived early and left early, another indication of a family with youngsters and getting older. The Misawa Tanabata Festival, like many other Misawa festivals, took place outside the main base entrance, contained music on a stage in American Park, and extended along White Pole Road.

Tanabata lights

Hmm ... Is this what they think of the USA/Americans

Typical street stall selling seafood and veggies

Takoyaki (octopus and veggies cooked into spheres)

Overpriced light toys

Kingyo-suki (goldfish dipping)

Object of the game: catch a goldfish without breaking the thin paper spoon

Local high school girls dressed for festival

Young girls dressed in traditional yukatas

Tanabata Festival: Hachinohe City

Tanabata Story (short version)

The Japanese Tanabata Matsuri (Star Festival) is based on a Chinese legend and elements of a Japanese myth. The festival traces its origins to a legend that a Cowherd Star (Altair) and Princess Weaver Star (Vega), were lovers separated by the Milky Way. Vega and Altair met and fell in love, which pleased everyone. However, Vega spent so much time being with Altair that she began to neglect her weaving work. This upset her emperor father and he decided to separate the two on opposite sides of the Milky Way, to prevent them from meeting except for once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month.

Nowadays, children and adults write their wishes on narrow strips of colored paper and hang them, along with other paper ornaments, on bamboo branches placed in the backyards or entrances of their homes. They then pray hard that their wishes will come true.

Traditionally Tanabata is held on the evening of July 7. However, cities usually celebrate Tanabata for three days, sometime between July 7 and August 7.

Painting depicting Tanabata Story

Sunday, July 18, 2010: Hachinohe Tanabata Festival

Hachinohe Tanabata Matsuri was a three-day event that usually occurs on the third weekend in July. Taxi drivers at Misawa Train Station told me that Friday night’s opening parade kicked off at 18:00 but Saturday and Sunday’s festivities occurred between 12:00 and 20:00. Kyle was out of town on Friday and I was contemplating taking two children to a festival by myself because it was advertised as a 5-minute walk from Hon-Hachinohe train station. Yeah right!! Off topic: Japanese roads are not on a grid system. They often wind around the natural landscape and lead to dead-end streets (as I’ve learned the hard way).

Anyway, I decided to wait until Sunday for Kyle so we could go as a family. I realized I received bad info from the taxi drivers. Booths started setting up around 12 noon. When we arrived at 13:00, not much was around, so while waiting for the matsuri to begin, we escaped the sun’s heat by ducking into several department stores, discovered an Indian restaurant, let kids play, and watched a Japanese hippy fashion show, and visited a beetle exhibit.

I cannot believe that this area of town is not mentioned in any of the Misawa Air Base leaflets because there are quite a few department stores all conveniently packed on one street. The next time we come here on a non-busy day, I’ll have to draw it in my journal and take photos for map directions. (I've been taking photos and writing down directions for other military families that inquire because on-line maps are in Japanese, which is no help to a foreigner.)

Oversized Tanabata decorations, food vendors, and children’s games aligned both sides of four city blocks. By 16:00, blockades closed neighboring roads, traffic bottlenecked, and the streets bustled with young children dressed in yukatas and happi coats. In the 5+ hours we were in this part of town, we did not see ANY other Americans. Kyle was the ONLY hakojin in sight.

Upon returning to work on Monday, Kyle asked his co-workers if any of them attended the festival and none of them even knew it happened.

Large Tanabata decorations hang from bamboo poles

Cino department store getting ready

Tanabata wishes

Taking a break at an arcade

Jumbo beetle exhibit

Beetle (couldn't read the Japanese identifier)

Matsuris are synonymous with meat on sticks. Pinwheel sausages.

Child labor is a must for family businesses

Clogged arteries and a heart attack waiting to happen

Grilled squid on a stick

Grilled fish on a stick

Desserts (chocolate covered bananas) on a stick

Balloon vendor setting up shop

Posing with SuperBaby

Tanabata Matsuri in full swing

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Aomori Prefecture Maps

Aomori-ken Maps

I know sometimes it's a hassle asking for and collecting maps from different organizations. So, I've compiled and scanned some maps I obtained from different Japan Tourist Information Centers and other on-line sites.

Click on the map for a larger view.

This Blogger site does not support PDF files so I was not able to upload them. If you would like a copy of the map sent to you in PDF format, please e-mail me.

Train Schedule from Misawa to Aomori and Hachinohe

Aomori Prefecture Map-01

Aomori-ken Detail Map

Aomori Prefecture Map-02

Hachinohe City Maps

Hachinohe-shi Maps

Click on the map for a larger view.

This Blogger site does not support PDF files so I was not able to upload them. If you would like a copy of the map sent to you in PDF format, please e-mail me.

Hachinohe City Map

Hachinohe Line Train Map

Hon-Hachinohe Train Station Map

Hachinohe Hotel List

Tokyo Train and Subway Maps

Click on the map for a larger view.

This Blogger site does not support PDF files so I was not able to upload them. If you would like a copy of the map sent to you in PDF format, please e-mail me.

Information about getting to Haneda Airport (and Misawa)

from Narita Airport

http://traveling-tengco.blogspot.com/2010/08/getting-to-haneda-airport-from-narita.html

Info about Japan Trains

SUICA and PASMO Prepaid Train Cards

How to read Train Tickets

Tokyo JR Train Station Map

Tokyo JR Train Map

Tokyo Train Map (all companies):

http://www.tokyo-monorail.co.jp/english/accessguide/pdf/n14-15e.pdf

Keikyu Train Line - Tokyo & Yokohama

Keikyu Train Line & Subways

Tokyo Subway Map 01

Tokyo Subway Map 02

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Exploring Aomori City

Monday, July 5: Asamushi and Aomori Cities

Today we decided to take a road trip to the prefecture’s capital city. Instead of taking the quicker toll road, we opted for the scenic route along National Road 4. Returning home, we paid about 900 yen and took the toll road. This was a huge mistake because unlike USA highways, there are no shoulders and rest stops are infrequent. In retrospect, the scenic road was a much better route for driving with a toddler and infant because it provided places take a break.

Asamushi Aquarium

In comparison to aquariums in San Diego, Asamush is small and unimpressive. Still, it is considered a top Aomori tourist attraction and a nice outlet for young children. This two story aquarium houses an assortment of fish, turtles, small sharks, sting rays, sea otters, penguins, seals, and bottlenose dolphins. I thought the most intriguing aspect of the building was its 10m x 15m x 4m acrylic seawater tank/tunnel walkway.

While strolling along its corridors and viewing historic photos, I discovered that Asamushi Aquarium was founded in 1922 as a marine biology research facility by the biology department of Tohoku Imperial University. It was later opened to the public in 1924. Although the facilities were rebuilt in 1983, many areas of the building still lack modern air conditioning.

Entrance Lockers

Many lockers in train stations and tourist sites are decorated

Seawater Tunnel Walkway

Creatures in tunnel

Asamushi Mascot

Dolphin that rests on the ledge

Eels

Cuttlefish

Asamushi Aquarium Brochure

ASPM or ASPAM

Aomori Sightseeing Products Mansion, a 15-floor triangular prism facing Aomori Bay, contains a tourist information center, stores selling common Aomori prefectural goods, local artist exhibit, a panorama theater (¥600 adults, ¥450 students, ¥300 children), and observation lounge on the 13^th floor (¥400 adults, ¥300 students, ¥200 children). I have yet to discover why floor 12 is omitted from the building. Anyway, the edifice itself did not have a lot going for it unless one enjoys views of the ocean.

I would recommend visiting ASPM during a summer months preceding Aomori’s famed Nebuta Matsuri because 22 large canvas buildings surrounding ASPM temporarily house the construction of these parade floats. If lucky, one can get a glimpse of artisans assembling the wooden frames, fastening lights, affixing paper, and painting historic Japanese figures on these ornate structures. Held annually from Aug 2-7, Aomori’s Nebuta Masturi is considered one of Japan’s largest festivals.

Aomori City Tony Roma http://www.tonyromas.jp/en/locations.html

I’ve never really been a fan of Tony Roma in the USA, but since I was having a craving for American food, we decided to have lunch here. We ordered the Crispy Chicken Tenderloin appetizer (¥780), Crispy Onion Burger (¥1380), Ribs and BBQ Chicken (¥1980), and soda (¥380 no free refills provided). This Tony Roma’s is rather small in size and located on the second floor of the Richmond Hotel. Adjacent building parking is provided at ¥300 per hour. At the exchange rate of US $1 = Japanese ¥85, our meal was over $50 and not really worth it in terms of portion size, quality, or price.