Tehaizaka

In Golden Week 2011, we visited the abandoned village of Tehaizaka in Happo, northern Akita.  At the time I was amazed how totally off tourism radar it was; it's still far far from the radar now.  In fact it's so far off the radar that my blog is still about the only thing that comes up for it in an English Google Search.... 

It was stark and forlorn before. and I wanted to come back when the peach trees were blooming. Spring came early to northern Tohoku this year. In Hirosaki, the sakura came and went well before Golden Week, the usual time when they bloom. This was much to the dismay of local shop keepers who missed the fortuitous timing.  But it was lucky for us. Tehaizaka has been filed away as a must return place. We returned and it was magnificient. Still forlorn, but not bleak. Forlornly  but charmingly decaying... somewhat akin to the passengerless Marie Celeste still having white linen tablecloths.

At the village entry sign, there is now an additional note to inform
where the nearest public toilets are..Japan truly is a public toilet paradise.

The river that runs behind the village. It's very full at this time
of the year with all the melting snow.

Golden Week: Iwaki san

Hiro's SIL and nieces came to stay for a night. We went on a trip to Iwaki san near Hirosaki in Aomori prefecture, about an hour and a half by car. It's apple blossom season at the moment, and Hirosaki is the capital of apples in all Japan. The day was a little hazy, and we couldn't see as far as Hokkaido, but it was a very pleasant day out.

Mt Iwaki

Shirakami Sanchi World Heritage Area from Iwaki san

Snow on the top

The summit of Iwaki san

We took the gondola. It was the first time for all of us but
Hiro's parents to take the gondola.  The first time I climbed
Iwaki san the wind was so strong I slipped as I grabbed a marking
rope and put a large gash in my head.....  This time was much smoother.

Beech trees on the way up the mountain.

There is a bus from Hiroasaki  via Iwaki Jinja, where I've walked from previously, 
that goes to gondolas at the 8th station

Snow by the gondola. Fuki no tou, a mountain vegetable on the gondola path

Magnificent Iwaki san and apple blossoms

Golden week: Fukushima and Yamagata

Golden week has been and gone. The unseasonably warm weather provided ideal conditions for biking. We left the expressway at Fukushima and travelled through the lesser travelled roads of Fukushima and Yamagata.

Mt Bandai, Fukushima

Ura Bandai

Lake Hibara which is apparently a mesotrophic lake, formed when Bandai san errupted
in the late 1800s.

Lake Hibara

We took the the road around the back of Bandai san  to Yonezawa, Route 2, via Lake Hibara.
The road is a bikers paradise, snaking its way up and around and down Tohachiyama

Bandai National Park

Still snow in the mountains

Lake Hibara

The Bandai area borders Yamagata prefecture, and we rode up towards the flat farmland of 

Yonezawa, and north along route 287 before rejoining the expressway that goes to Futasui.

A late blooming sakura at a michi no eki south of  Ohe machi.

Yamagata farmland. This would have been covered in snow when I was up there in March.

Ou honsen sen videos 奥羽本線

Ou Honsen, Gosannen near Yokote in Akita ken,







Ou Honsen, near Yuzawa, Akita ken

The long road back - Ou Honsen & Tohoku Honsen

The road back was similar to the way up, but the connections far less convenient. The Ou line from Odate was late, but they held the Nairiku sen so that transfering passengers could catch it. In Kakunodate also it was an easy change with 5 minutes between trains.  From there, the connections involved long waits.

An hour at Omagari, an hour at Shinjo, an hour at Yamagata and half an hour at Yonezawa. From Fukushima back to Tokyo connection times were minimal.

One hour is not long enough to see much, and too long to be enjoyable. The notable exception is Yonezawa where they have a standing soba counter in the station!

Near Yuzawa (Akita)

The view from Shinjo station

The Ou sen terminates and returns to Akita

Between Yonezawa and Yamagata is Takahata
which has an onsen at the station! 

Congratulations to the Rikuu Sai train line 100 years!
And a sign to welcome you to Yamagata -
the character is the prefecture mascot.

At Yonezawa - Fukushima bound

The train from Fukushima went direct to Kuroiso
with no change in Koriyama

From Kuroiso to Utsunomiya

Almost home...
After leaving before 7, I arrived back in Tokyo at 11.48

Akita Nairiku line S3 to Omagari

What seems to be an abandoned house/shop near Sadori station 9:20

Nishi Kichikichohinokinai 9:27

Nishi Kichikichohinokinai 9:33

Nishi Kichikichoyamada 9:35

The Nairiku sen terminates in Kakunodate and connects with
the JR Shinkansen line that goes between Akita City and Morioka,
The local Tazawa line goes all stops to Omagari  on the Ou Honsen
- a 20 minute trip south west.

The train to Omagari

An unfortunately named local magazine.

Omagari is famous for summer fireworks.
This poster at the local station is made from paper plates
painted by a local kindergarten.

JA Omagari - JA the temple of rural Japan.

The station - a grand building with good waiting rooms.
The tourist information office had phone charging facilities.