Category: 旅のエッセイ_Travel Essay

I went to a hot spring (onsen in Japanese) with my mother in early spring. It was decided right after visiting Koganezaki Furofushi Onsen, and what I learned from the trip was that new discoveries were made by shifting my perspective.

If I was going to shift my perspective, I suppose I should look for an onsen I have never been to. However, my primary concern is living a comfortable life. That is why I heavily rotate among the same four bars, as well, keep going to the same restaurants repeatedly. I am not good at exploring new places.

It is also the case for onsen. Unless there is a specific interest, I do not stay at onsen I am unfamiliar with. In the end, I decided to go to Goshougake Onsen just as I do almost every year. Usually, I fly from Tokyo Haneda to Odate-Noshiro on All Nippon Airways (ANA) and return to Tokyo using Akita Nairiku Line and Akita Shinkansen. However, it already seemed just too predictable. If I shifted my perspective a bit, I could discover something new.

While avoiding any fundamental changes, I would try altering just the surface. I convinced myself that was the very essence of “shifting one’s perspective.”

I recalled how beautiful the sunset was when I was on Limited Express Inaho last summer. I decided to head from Odate to Akita and take the limited express departing Akita in the evening. Since sunset time was different from summer, I should be able to enjoy a different landscape. The weather on the Sea of Japan coast in late winter was likely unfavorable, but gazing out at the gloomy, leaden winter sea would not be so bad.

What used to be a trip that completed within Akita Prefecture became a journey that passed through Yamagata Prefecture and headed all the way to Niigata. With a change this significant, I could say I had sufficiently shifted my perspective.

Upon arriving at Odate-Noshiro Airport, I hopped on a bus and thought about whether to head to Hanazen Restaurant in front of Odate Station for their famous chicken rice or to a Hinai-chicken restaurant in downtown Odate.

It was unfortunate that the Hinai-chicken restaurant was closed due to relocation. Last time, I mistakenly believed it was the closing day due to incorrect information on Google Map. I had missed visiting the restaurant twice in a row. On the other hand, Hanazen was running a promotion. While the prices were lower, they seemed to prioritize high turnover, so the menu was limited and I could not even have a beer.

Feeling a bit unsatisfied, I headed to Goshougake Onsen. Winter was about to end in Odate, but the mountains were in the midst of a blizzard. I believe I should visit cold places in winter, so this was not so bad after all.

By the next morning, the weather had cleared up. I took the Onsen’s shuttle bus to Kazuno-Hanawa Station but found that JR Hanawa Line was suspended operation due to the heavy snow overnight. This trip certainly was not going as planned.

Yet, I took the express bus to Odate and then took a JR train to Akita Station. Just as the Limited Express Inaho was about to depart from Akita Station, the sky cleared completely. It was time to make up for this trip that had not gone as planned.

Shortly after leaving Akita Station, the train ran along the coast. I was able to enjoy the beautiful sunset over the Sea of Japan. Moreover, view of Mt Chokai was stunning before the snow had melted and it was cherry blossom season in southern Akita and northern Yamagata. I enjoyed an almost perfect view from the train window, but there was just one problem. During the crucial time around sunset, so-called “magic hour,” the train was running through the inland area of Sakata City for most of that time.

I suppose just shifting my perspective does not necessarily make everything better.

COLO’s Traveler Guide: Akita Prefecture

Times listed are the based on the timetable at the time of visit.

Day 1

Tokyo Haneda 09:00 (ANA719) > Odate-Noshiro 10:10
Odate-Noshiro Airport 10:25 (Bus) > Odate Station 11:18

Lunch: Hanazen

Odate 13:33 (JR Hanawa Line) > Kazuno-Hanawa 14:28

Accommodation: Goshougake Onsen

Day 2

Kazuno-Hanawa 11:24 (Express Bus) > Odate City 12:12

Lunch: Mukashi no Kiritanpo-ya

Odate 13:55 (Super Tsugaru 2) > Akita 15:12
Akita 16:48 (Inaho 14) > Niigata 20:22
Niigata 20:31 (Toki 344) > Omiya 22:03

Insomnia is said to be the root of all evil.

My insomnia came back around the end of February. It is said that exposure to strong lights from electronic devices late at night adversely affects falling asleep, but lying down in the dark makes me irritated. As a result, I end up browsing the web late into the night.

While I was surfing the web, I came across an information about an electric locomotive (EL) photo shooting event on the JR East website. Previously, I joined JR East event to see steam locomotive (SL) assembly process at their maintenance facility in Omiya, but this time was held at the maintenance facility in Akita. I like factory tours in general, and I also like old Japan National Railway-era ELs. Having said, I wonder if I have enough passion to go all the way to Akita.

I thought about major conditions. The event was scheduled for a three-day weekend when I had no other plans. Considering I had taken day off from work to go to the SL event in Omiya, the event date was far more favorable. However, while the distance from Tokyo to Omiya is an extension of my everyday life, Akita is clearly far away. It would cause a financial problem.

After thinking further, I realized there was something Akita had but Omiya did not – an airport.

I found that there were award tickets available on an early morning Japan Airlines (JAL) flight from Tokyo Haneda to Akita. Besides, if I took a Tokyo Haneda flight leaving Akita Airport by 5 p.m., I could make it in time for my favorite soba (Japanese noodle) restaurant in Tokyo, where was usually difficult to make a reservation. Award tickets were also available for this flight. Since I was able to reserve award tickets for both flights, major financial problem was solved.

Although I was able to book flights, a challenge was getting back from the JR East facility to Akita Airport in time for the return flight. After searching around, I found a scheduled shared taxi that went to the airport at relatively lower price. I made an online reservation for the taxi and finalized a plan that would allow me to make a day trip to Akita with the visit to my favorite soba restaurant. All of this happened very late at night.

On the following day, I made a reservation for the soba restaurant. Even though it was a popular restaurant, I was able to get a reservation if it was about a month ahead. I happened to recall that on the way back from the SL assembly viewing event in Omiya, I went to the same soba restaurant. JR East maintenance facilities and the soba restaurants may be the ultimate combination for me. There was no doubt making for a fulfilling day.

Insomnia may not be the root of all evil.

COLO’s Traveler Guide: Akita

The times listed are based on the schedule at the time of the visit.

Haneda 06:55 (JAL161) > Akita 08:00

・Akita City Folk Performing Arts Heritage Center
・Akita City Akarenga (Red Brick) Folk Museum
・JR East Akita General Rolling Stock Center

Akita 16:45 (JAL166) > Haneda 18:00

In February, I visited Taiwan as a tour guide for my family trip. Even though the guide work ended up taking only about a half of the entire trip, I deserved a little reward for myself. Since I had already taken time off at work to go to Taiwan, I figured I should plan one-night weekend getaway.

For a Japanese person, a hot spring (“onsen” in Japanese) is the perfect way to treat yourself. With only two days, it is tempting to go somewhere nearby, but I believe travel is all about seeking an escape from the everyday. I wanted to go somewhere far away.

There is an onsen called Koganezaki Furofushi Onsen on the JR Gono Line in Aomori Prefecture. It is an inn famous for its seaside open-air baths, and I love the quality of the spring water – it is salty and has a little oil floating on top. Since the Onsen is not crowded in winter, I decided to revisit there.

The number of miles required for a Japan Airlines award ticket fluctuates based on demand. On the other hand, as long as I have enough miles, it is easier to make a reservation. For this trip, I planned to fly to Aomori Airport then take a bus to Hirosaki to catch the Gono Line. On the second day, I planned to take the Gono Line Rapid Service to Shin-Aomori, then take the Shinkansen to Hakodate for a sushi restaurant. From there, I would just take the last flight from Hakodate Airport back to Tokyo. It was just a combination of places I had visited several times before, so I thought there was not much to think about.

I had been constantly changing my travel plans in Taiwan. Since this was a trip rewarding myself after the Taiwan trip, it was probably better if it was not too novel.

When I boarded Hokkaido Shinkansen at Shin-Aomori, it turned out to be a train that stopped at every station to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto. It came to my mind that just going all the way to Hakodate might not be very interesting. Man is a thinking reed. I found myself thinking that it might be a time to think about something.

Once I get like this, I cannot stop myself.

I got an idea of taking “Donan Isaribi Railway (South Hokkaido Railway)” from Kikonai Station to Hakodate Station. I checked the timetable on the Shinkansen and found a train with good connection. Upon the train arriving at Hakodate Station, I would take a bus to the sushi restaurant and arrive right on time for my reservation. Even though it meant wasting a part of the Shinkansen fare, I decided to get off at Kikonai Station. I made that decision just one minute before the Shinkansen arrived at Kikonai.

The Donan Isaribi Railway was a local railroad. I boarded an old Japan National Railway (JNR)-style diesel train, the kind that even JR Hokkaido probably does not use anymore. Even more, a train passed at an intermediate station was painted in JNR’s vermilion color, adding even more charm to the experience.

True to its name, which includes “Isaribi (meaning fishing lights),” I was able to enjoy a leisurely journey on the Donan Isaribi Railway while gazing out at the sea of southern Hokkaido. I regret not buying a beer beforehand even though I had a little time to kill before the train departure.

By shifting my perspective just a little, I made a new discovery. Just because it was a reward trip to myself, I should not make it by inertia. After all, man is a thinking reed.

COLO’s Traveler Guide: Koganezaki Furofushi Onsen & Hakodate

The times listed are based on the schedule at the time of my visit.

Day 1

Tokyo Haneda 07:15 (JAL141) > Aomori 08:35
Aomori Airport 09:00 (Konan Bus) > Hirosaki Station 09:54
Hirosaki 10:21 (JR Gono Line) > Fukaura 12:44

Lunch: Sailing

Fukaura 14:42 (JR Gono Line) > WeSpa Tsubakiyama 14:57

Accommodation: Koganezaki Furofushi Onsen

Day 2

WeSpa Tsubakiyama 10:38 (Resort Shirakami 1) > Shin-Aomori 13:27
New Aomori 13:59 (Hayabusa 17) > Kikonai 14:49
Kikonai 15:19 (Donan Isaribi Railway) > Hakodate 16:22

Dinner: Kihara

Hakodate 19:30 (JAL588) > Tokyo Haneda 21:00