青森 A Trip to Aomori Prefecture

This past weekend I participated in a bus tour to Aomori Prefecture.  It is the northernmost prefecture on Honshu Island and is famous for its apple orchards, snow covered mountains, and perhaps most commonly is recognized for the unique Nebuta festival held there in the fall.  So, our first stop on Saturday morning was the Wa Rasse Center.  Where visitors can learn about the tradition of Nebuta, how the floats are made, and view various floats on display.

Aomori Nebuta is one of the largest festivals held in Japan and was named an "Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property" in 1980.  Nebuta itself refers to an illuminated float that features warriors, Japanese folklore characters, and other historical figures, and is pushed through the city during the night while dancers, flutes, and large taiko drums add motion and sound, creating a spectacular artistic display.  The festival itself takes place in August from the 2nd to the 7th.  The floats themselves are completely handmade, and are enormous, measuring 5 meters in height, 9 meters in width, and 7 meters in depth.  Originally, the interior framing of the floats was constructed using bamboo, and candles were used as the light source, however wire and electric lights are used today.  Artists create the floats by shaping a wire frame according to their design and then placing Japanese paper over the frame.  The final stage is the paint, out of which the artists create visually stunning masterpieces.

The radiant light against the dark night sky brings the vivid and dynamic displays to life as the giant battling warriors reach out and captivate the imaginations of their viewers.

After finishing our tour of the Wa Rasse center we headed up to the mountains to the Hakkoda Ski Resort Hotel for lunch.  The route to the area included a bridge over a steep canyon where we stopped and walked across and enjoyed the panoramic view of the surrounding mountains.

After finishing lunch we continued to climb further into the mountains to Sukayu Hot Spring and hotel.  It is a famous hot spring in the Kakkoda area and features a bath for 1000 people.  The bath is said to be especially good for those who have any aches or joint pains and helps relax the body.  It is made completely of Japanese cypress and is a mixed gender onnsen.  One can stay at the resort in traditional Japanese inn styled rooms and the wooden floors and interior create a relaxing and comfortable atmosphere.  The hotel's location also makes for great access to hiking and is located near Lake Towada.

In order to see what the onnsen looks like I've included a link that takes you to the resort website, there you can see a slide show of the empty bath in order to see how large it is. Sukayu Onnsen and Hotel

Picture below, courtesy of Google.

 

Our final stop of the day was Lake Towada.  On the way, we drove on a road that follows the path of a popular mountain stream, Oirase Stream.  The stream originates from Lake Towada and the narrow canyon is famous for its many waterfalls that can be seen springing from the tops of the foliage covered hillsides. It seemed that at every turn water could be seen running down the smooth rocks like flowing strands of silver.  A well kept trail follows the river's path and allows hikers and visitors to enjoy a walk accompanied by the soothing sounds of the riverbed's orchestra.  While we were not able to hike the entirety of the trail, we stopped for a short time before continuing on our way to the nearby Lake Towada.  Here we were met by several guides from Northvillage, a local tour company, who suited us up for a trip out on the lake by canoe.  Fortunately, I brought my canoeing skills with me and managed not to overturn the boat.

Lake Towada is actually a caldera lake, this of course means that we were paddling about on what used to be the top of a volcano, and it's still active!  As many of you know a caldera is formed when a volcanic eruption takes place and the resulting collapse of land creates a basin like area that then gradually becomes a lake overtime.  Lake Towada is actually made up of not only one but two calderas due to an explosion that occurred 5400 years ago and thereby created a second caldera in the lake.  The lake is one of the deepest in Japan at 327 meters (1073 feet), and has a circumference of approximately 46 kilometers. It is included as part of the Towada National Park and the surrounding area is covered in deciduous birch and beech trees which make for a beautiful fall.  After concluding our canoe trip on the lake we boarded the bus and waved goodbye to our newly made friends as the grumbling engine pulled us away.

We stayed at a traditional Ryokan 旅館, or Japanese style inn, close to the town of Yasumiya and enjoyed conversing about the day's adventure during dinner.

The next morning we woke up early and headed to the town of Yasumiya which borders Lake Todawa. There we took a nature tour along the lake shore.  Along our walk we ventured through towering cedar trees and stopped at the nearby Towada Shrine where the Great Blue Dragon Spirit of Towada was once enshrined.

After concluding our morning nature tour we headed out to the city of Towada.  We went to the Towada Art Center which included numerous exhibits from varying artists.  While pictures were not allowed, below is a link to the museum's website as well as to another page with some pictures of the architecture.

The exhibits were quite impressive most of them modern pieces, and many were interactive, inviting the viewer to step into the work and experience the art rather than just view it.  I encourage those that are interested in seeing some of the pieces that are exhibited in the museum to visit the museum's website, the artists are listed on this page as well as their works on the right side of the page Towada Art Center.

Photo below from the following link: Towada Art Center Architecture

After enjoying the Towada Art Center we headed out for lunch.

Once we finished lunch we went to the 和日カフェ, a city center like building where our group was able to make a hanko, or stamp.  Chinese style seal engravings originated in the Qin Dynasty (221-210 BC).  They have since then been used as both an artistic medium and as a formal form of identification.  The amount of history that is tied with the concept of the stamp is extensive.  The art-form itself has many different styles and is considered a form of calligraphy.  While there are certainly numerous styles of stamps, four types used commonly in Japan are: Jitsu in, Ginko in, Mitome in, and Gago in.   The Jitsu in is strictly used for official and legally binding documents.  Ginko in are used at the bank with one's account, many people have these hanko handmade in order to have a unique stamp that is then also secure from duplication.  Mitome in hanko are used primarily to indicate the receipt of postal mail or within company's for memos and other documents.   Gago in hanko are often used by artists to sign there work, sometimes using a pseudonym.  An interesting note on art and stamps, seals would mark calligraphy works and paintings and often owners of the paintings would also add their seals to the piece, this action was not seen as devaluing the work when done appropriately.   For more information on the history of the Chinese stamp, please read further here East Asia Seals. We were able to learn the basic way of chiseling into the base of a rectangular  granite and create our own hanko.  I chose the kanji for wind which is ka-ze 風 and using the in-tou (chisel used for making the stamp) made a hanko.

Here is some of the group chiseling away.

After finishing up we headed to a nearby market to peruse some of the local foods and お土産 (o-mi-ya-ge) souvenirs before heading to the train station where we would board the Shinkansen and head back to Akita.  The journey was one filled with new sights, delicious food, and kind people.  Venturing into the new areas and interacting with the people there was a wonderful experience.   As I turned to wave goodbye to the rest of the group on the bus a distinct feeling of bittersweet came over me.  After being warmly accepted at the places we visited and exchanging stories and laughs that turned strangers into friends, to wave goodbye was to mark the closure of an unforgettable adventure.  One hopes to meet those they met on their journey once again, but the feeling of knowing that those meetings were part of a singular experience leaves one with a unique and intangible impression.  Yet, the warm feelings shared, laughs, and smiles, will always remain as part of a fond memory.

ジェフ

日本海 An Adventure in Akita and Yamagata Prefecture

This past weekend I participated in another bus tour that went through the southern part of Akita prefecture and into the neighboring prefecture of Yamagata.  The tour was again sponsored by the Japanese government as part of research being done in order to better develop the tourism in the area and I went with  a group of several other international students.  The features of the trip included flavors of regional foods, historic sites, beautiful mountain forest hikes, and dancing Maiko.  Again, I will try and provide as much detail as possible, however, as my knowledge is limited I will also include various links within my account for those that would like more in depth information on the topics covered.

The trip began as we all boarded the rumbling bus early Saturday morning.  Our first destination was the 中島台レクリエーションの森 , a forest located in the southern part of Akita prefecture in the area of Sakata, near Chokai Mountain.  The forest consists of beautiful springs, 300 year old beech trees, and the Asian black bear.  As most of the trees in the area are deciduous Japanese beech (also known as buna, a native tree species), the accumulation of millions of dead leaves over hundreds of years  has created a natural filter through which the snow melt, rain, and spring water gain their crystal clear appearance.  We took a two hour hike and were led by a guide who explained the surrounding environment.  The area is easily accessible by plank trails and as we hiked through the forest we were often greeted by a light fall breeze that sent the surrounding leaves dancing down to the ground around us.  It was an enchanting experience.

For more details about the area surrounding Sakata, the following link has more information, Sakata Travel Information.


After finishing our hike we boarded the bus and headed to lunch before our next stop at Somaro in Sakita City.  Lunch was a delicious bento box with sashimi, ginger, vegetables, chicken, and miso soup.

Our next stop was in Sakita city at a place called Somaro.  Somaro was one of the most popular places to gather for food and entertainment during the Edo period (1603-1868).  Here customers could enjoy the traditional Maiko dances and listen to music while eating their meal.  The port town of Sakata developed with influences from Kyoto and Tokyo and today visitors can still see traditional dance performances at the re-opened restaurant as well as tour the building, view art pieces, and Hina Doll collections.

The Maiko you see below are not to be confused with Geisha.  Maiko literally means "dancing girl" and they perform traditional Japanese dances and are considered to be apprentice geisha.  The term "geisha" means artist and the process of becoming a geisha requires an immense amount of complex training.  Three core areas of training include: formal arts, such as calligraphy, music, poetry, literature; entertainment, such as tea ceremonies; and the etiquette of navigating eloquently through conversations and socials.

After arriving at Somaro we watched the Maiko perform one of their traditional dances.  During the dance, a 三味線 (shi-ma-sen) which literally means "three flavored strings" was played, which is a traditional Japanese instrument.   It is held upright and is played by plucking the strings with a large pick.  The flowing movements of the dance, dresses, fans, and the high-toned voices and distinct sounds of the plucked strings created both a visual and auditory work of art.  While we did not take photographs during the performance below is a picture of our group with the Maiko.

For more information about the area and the things mentioned above, here are some links that I found very useful. A history of the unique instrument can be found here: The Shamisen.  A more detailed history about Geisha can be read here: Geisha.

Our final stop of the day was the Sankyo Storehouse located near the above mentioned Somaro restaurant in Sakata city.  The storehouse is a building complex composed of 12 warehouses that were built in 1893 in order to store rice.  Since then the warehouses have been used as storage for agricultural products and stand as a symbol of the importance of agriculture to the Sakata area.  One of the storehouses holds a museum as well as visitor information, and from this location one can venture out and find various historic buildings as well as beautiful homes built by the merchant class during the Edo period.  After touring the warehouse area I ventured across the river to explore the neighborhood.  

Our day concluded with a check in to our hotel.  We stayed in a traditional styled hotel and I shared a room with five other students.  All of us had dinner together in a large tatami floored room, where we were served a delicious dinner as well as warm sake.

Sunday morning we headed out to 加茂水族館 an aquarium in the area that is famous for its jellyfish collection.  The jellyfish display was very interesting and there was an interactive computer guide that gave information on the various jellyfish displayed and the characteristics of each species.

Our next stop on our journey was unforgettable.  We headed to the town of Haguro in Yamagata prefecture (previously called Dewa prefecture).  Within the borders of the Yamagata prefecture stand three mountains commonly referred to as 出羽三山 (Dewa Sanzan) which literally hold the meaning, "Dewa three mountains".  Individually the mountains are named Mt. Gassan, Mt. Haguro, and Mt. Yudono.  They are considered to be sacred and around the year 593 the mountains began to blossom as a religious center.  The religious movement of Shugendo developed in these mountains, which intertwined indigenous Shinto beliefs with Buddhism and Taoism.  Shugendo focused on obtaining enlightenment through mountain dwelling and the understanding of the balance between man and nature.  However, in the Meji Restoration period the government banned the practice in order to separate the religions of Shinto and Buddhism.

We headed to Mt. Haguro where there is an immense complex of historical shrines and buildings.  We were met by our guide who led us down the famous Ishi-Dan (stone steps) that lead from the Zuishin-mon gate to the top of Mt. Haguro.  The path one takes is known as the Sando, the front approach to the shrine, and is lined with cedar trees that reach the heavens.  The stairs are 1.8 km and were built in 1648 by Ten'yu Betto who was the 50th chief priest of the three religious mountains.

As one follows the path 1,000 year old cedars can be seen guarding the Five Story Pagoda.  The pagoda was initially built in 937 and then according to a classic text, rebuilt in 1372.  As our guide explained the Pagoda has a beam that runs from the base to the top that acts as a stabilizer for the structure in case of earthquakes.  The construction style was so effective in managing earthquakes that modern architecture in Tokyo follows a similar design, and the new Tokyo Skytree that is being built will follow the Pagado's internal structural design.  As, you view the pictures below keep in mind that many of these historic buildings were built without the use of nails or screws, and strictly used wood joint fixtures.

Once one reaches the top of the mountain, there stands the Sanjin Gosaiden shrine which joins together  the three mountains' deities.  The age of the foundation is unknown but the current building was built in 1818.  The thatched roof measures the thickest in Japan at 2.1 meters and the entire building has intricate woodwork incorporated in its design.  In front of the shrine is the Mirror Pond and nearby stands the Bonsho to Shoro a bell that was said to have been given by the Kamakura Shogun in the year 1275 in gratitude for victory over the Mongol fleet.  The bell itself weighs 10 tons and is the the largest in the Tohoku area.  After exploring the temple grounds we sat down to eat a traditional religious ascetic dish.  

Mt. Haguro was truly an incredible sight. 

The smooth set stones bordered by nature's eternal giants convey a deep and poetic meaning to those that travel upon the path to 三神合祭殿 (Sanjin Gosaiden).

ジェフ