Misawa Air Force Base Japan

The rainy, cold weather has prevented us from going out for fear of our children getting colds. I actually don't mind taking our little ones out in bad weather. I figure autumn is the best time to acclimate them for the upcoming winter season. However, with recent recall of infant Tylenol and Motrin, the base seems to always be out of stock on over-the-counter medicine. Having two young sick children is not as much a problem not having the resources to help them.

Anyway, I noticed that I do not have information of the base itself. Due to the sensitivity of information concerning all overseas military bases, I've gathered these documents which might help potential newcomers to the base.

One should always have information on how to call the base from out in town. This is essential for any emergencies that may arise or for families to get in touch with you.

Revised compact phone directory to print and post on the fridge.

Base map from ITT magazine

Base directory with hours of operation

Another version of base map

Towada City Autumn Festival

Sunday, September 12

Japan was originally a country of farmers, and most of its festivals are connected with the agricultural calendar. Every region has its own autumn festival to thank the local deity for harvest and to pray for an even better one the following year.

It seems fitting that this is Towada City’s largest festival. The Tohoku region accounts for over 20 percent of the nation’s rice crop. Towada City has become one of the areas with the highest yield of agricultural products, which include yams, Chinese yams, leeks, shitake mushrooms, burdocks, and garlic. Not to mention, local fisheries breed fish eggs, red salmon, and rainbow trout, while farmers produce tender beef, shamrock chicken, and pleasant horsemeat.

Towada City Autumn Festival customarily takes place the second weekend of September. For three days, September 10, 11, and 12, Towada City’s main street, Kanchogai Dori, provides the platform for the parade.

Even though it rained almost non-stop on Saturday, the festivities continued, but prevented us from going. Fortunately, it was clear Sunday morning and we were able to see the magnificent parade of floats, dancers, and taiko drummers. Unfortunately, the parade appeared a bit rushed and timing seemed to be almost perfect because as the last dance troupe sashayed down the street, a light drizzle began to fall.

Excerpt from Towada City Tourist Guide

Back of parade float

Taiko drummers

Man dressed in women's garb

Snake float

Detail of snake float

Dragons are a common theme in parade floats

Asahi earring lady

Samuri warriors often appear in floats

More dragons

Elderly man guiding young children along the float rope

Horses also are prominent in Towada parade floats

Cheerful taiko drummers

Detail of dragon

Friday 14:00-18:00; Saturday 13:30-20:00, Sunday 14:00-16:00 & 18:00-20:00 (times approximate)

Dates: Second weekend of September
Location: The main street and Kanchogai Dori (a.k.a. Koma Kaido), Towada City
Access: 15 mins on foot from Towada City Station, Towada Kanko Dentetsu Railway
Information: Towada City Tourism Association 0176-24-1111

Towada City getting there from Misawa AFB

http://traveling-tengco.blogspot.com/2010/08/towada-city-aomori-prefecture-maps.html

Follow driving directions 1-2 from my Aug 2010 blog: Towada City Directions and Maps.

Some streets will be closed, so follow directed traffic.

Gonohe Summer Festival

Sunday, September 5

Summer festivals occur in every Japanese town. If one plans carefully, a summer festival can be viewed every weekend. Festivals usually transpire over 3-4 days. Groups of dancers, taiko drummers, mikoshi, and dashi stroll through the town’s main street. Local neighborhoods decorate dashi (a festival float with wheels) with flowers, dolls and traditional Japanese icons. Most parades have a theme that must be incorporated into the float design, which they are judged. During the parade, men, women, and children pull these heavy floats for spectators to view.

Misawa Base host families

Labor Day weekend customarily marks the end of summer. So it seemed fitting that we too we attended our last summer festival in Gonohe City. We wouldn’t have known about it; however, the city office invited those from Kyle’s command who hosted exchange English students to attend the celebration. It appeared that this year’s theme centered around Hayao Miyazaki, because I could see different characters (cat from Kiki’s Delivery Service, black spots from Spirited Away, Ponyo, and Totoro, etc.) conspicuously mounted onto each float. Most summer festival floats resemble Hachinohe’s Sansha Tasai festival, but on smaller scale, but not less grandiose.

No one is too old to watch festivals. Surprisingly, people showed respect for these two ladies and didn't sit in front of them or block their view.

Elderly man 104 years old! Parade participants stopped and bowed to him as they marched on the street.

Tanabata themed float

Another parade float

Americans join dancing

Spirited Away float

Primary school children help pull floats

Goodbye summer

Lake Towada Kunizaki (Border) Festival

Saturday, September 4

Festival Pamphlet

Although Lake Towada only touches two prefectures (Aomori and Akita), this Festival combines floats, dancers and other performers as well as traditional foods and music from the three northern-most prefectures of Honshu - Aomori, Akita, and Iwate. It is a good opportunity to see some aspects of northern Japan, not part of Misawa summer festivities.

Description from Towada City Tourist Guide

Although there are two parades – an afternoon one at 15:30 and an evening one at 18:50 – each parade has different participants. Dance troupes partake in the afternoon parade, while floats promenade streets in the evening. In addition, spectators can purchase seats at an open venue for a better look at both dancers and floats.

Iwasaki Demon Sword Dance

Dancers from Akita Prefecture

Taiko Drummers

Akita Lanterns

Preparing for showtime

More taiko drums

And still more taiko drums

The Kanto Matsuri (pole lantern festival) is a Tanabata related celebration in Akita City, held every year from August 3rd to 6th. The highlight of the festival is an impressive display of skill in which performers balance kanto, or long bamboo poles with arrays of paper lanterns attached to the end. The kanto poles come in different sizes with the largest measuring 12 meters, weighting 50 kgs. (110 lbs.) and carrying as many as 46 paper lanterns, lit by real candles. To the sound of drums, flutes and onlookers chanting "dokkoisho, dokkoisho", each kanto is hoisted up by a single performer who balances it on their palm, and transfer it smoothly to their shoulder, lower back, forehead, and other performers.

Akita lantern performance

Amazing balance and coordination

These guys know where to stand and then just drop the lanterns into place

I was quite excited to see this festival because of the opportunity of seeing nebuta floats at night. I wondered how they would relocate those large structures into the narrow streets of Lake Towada. I was disappointed to see a smaller nebuta floats paraded. I’m not quite if more nebuta floats flowed because sleepy children and the idea of being stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic persuaded us to leave at 20:00.

Aomori City Nebuta Float

Like the Aomori Nebuta Festival, huge painted papier-mâché are paraded through night streets, illuminated from within. However, the floats are generally fan-shaped, with two flat sides. One portrays a historical battle scene while the reverse shows a beautiful woman, often framed by scenes of death. The local view is that Hirosaki reflects the sombre mood of preparation for war while Aomori expresses the jubilant return from a victorious battle.

Hirosaki City Neputa Float

Small float

2010 Festival Map

Lake Towada getting there from Misawa AFB

http://traveling-tengco.blogspot.com/2010/08/towada-city-aomori-prefecture-maps.html

Follow driving directions numbers 1 - 12 from my Aug 2010 blog: Towada City Directions and Maps.

Lake Towada

Look overhead for a blue sign that reads Route 102 (Lake Towada) and make a right.

Some signs might only have the Japanese names for Lake Towada (Nenokuchi) and Oirase Gorge (Ishikedo) or both. Notice the blue traffic signs to make sure you are on the correct course.
Continue driving.
When the road comes to a Y-intersection, make a left over the small bridge to stay on Route 102. Proceeding forward to Route 103 will take you to Hakkoda.

Continue through the winding road along Oirase Gorge. When the road comes to a T-intersection, turn left on to Route 103.

Follow the road into Ysumiya area. The road will come to a Y-intersection. The left side is JR Bus Station and the right side is the parking area. Pay ¥410 for parking.