Category: Journey to the East

This city really did take off from 1859. With the opening of the ability to trade, the vast majority of which was exports, including sea weed to China.

With the new port came the foreign embassies/offices. Followed by the churches of the respective countries, all within the safe confines of the same area. Don’t want to mix do we? Thus in close proximity is the Catholic Church (bright red roof and white walls designed to make it a landmark for sailors to look up to on the hillside); the Russian Orthodox, an Epispocal Church and an Anglican. The presbyterians were probably being miserable somewhere.

You get the sense of a working port with tourism focussed on one wee bit. First taste of melon bread ice cream, a warm crunchy bun contrasting with the cold icecream. To be repeated!

Who knew the islands are nearly 4hrs apart by ferry. The Tsugaru strait between them connects the Sea of Japan with the Pacific Ocean.

Thomas Blakiston, an English explorer and naturalist, noticed that animals in Hokkaido were related to northern Asian species, whereas those on Honshu to the south were related to those from southern Asia. The Tsugaru Strait was therefore established as a major zoogeographical boundary, and became known as Blakiston’s Line. Just as well his name wasn’t Washing.

The good news is it was a smooth transit between Aomori and Hakodate. The latter took off from 1859 after the treaty with the USA opened up trade. So Western style houses, fine red brick warehouses (now tourist shops). All ripe for exploring more tomorrow.

After 11:30am.

A really scenic day. Lake Towada is the largest caldera lake on Honshu. It’s fed by the Oirase River. Which itself tumbles 14km down a lovely forest gorge fed by a variety of waterfalls, each different.

It’s also apple growing country and it turns out they are a dab hand at flaky pastry too. So no need to hurry. Just savour sight sound and flavour.

The sombre note was the Snow March graveyard, 199 soldiers (mainly kids) died on a snow practice mission in 1902 when the weather conditions deteriorated. They are buried in order of rank. Doesn’t seem right.

One thing I’ve wondered about is why the traditional ‘British’ blue white and red spinning barbers poles are so common. Wonder no more:

During the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century, Japan underwent a rapid modernization and Westernization initiative known as Bunmei-kaika (“Civilization and Enlightenment”). As part of this, the traditional samurai topknot (chonmage) was outlawed in favor of short, Western-style hair. The Japanese government specifically looked to the British Empire as the model for modern men’s grooming. When Western barbershops were introduced to Tokyo in 1871, the traditional striped poles came right along with them. 

Today, while barbershops globally use slightly different variations, the red, white, and blue stripe remains the universally recognized indicator of a shop offering classic shaves and haircuts in Japan.

And if you want to know why the colours and pole are what they are, you can look that up….

Tomorrow a ferry off Honshu towards the TV to watch Scotland on Sunday. A handy 10:00 am kick off.

A day of lakes, dams and tunnels.

First up was Lake Tazawa: Japan’s deepest 423.4m, a caldera lake with no natural inflow nor outflow. Hotsprings are a bonus. I don’t know why, but I wonder if the 0.4 is as significant as my missing 3cm in height? Very pretty too.

Then onto Lake Shusen with its very blue mystical submerged forest, the cobalt blue colour caused by microscopic volcanic minerals suspended in the water—specifically allophane (a hydrated aluminosilicate) and silica. 

These microscopic particles act as natural light filters. When sunlight hits the water, the allophane and silica particles scatter the shorter, high-frequency blue light waves, while absorbing longer red light waves

Created by the Yoroibata Dam, the lake’s water levels rise significantly during the spring snowmelt. The shoreline trees become submerged, creating a phantom forest of young, bright green leaves appearing to grow directly out of the water. Especially around now, so we were very lucky.

Lake Hosen came up next, created by another dam. Also cobalt blue, very pretty but we had to pass it by as a hill beckoned. We had had a fair number of tunnels to reach this point. The road builders must have thought “that’s enough. they can climb”. There is quite a lot of infrastructure going on – maybe now the snow (apart from a few roadside remnants) has gone, to repair and prepar. Skilful work driving them diggers.

Tomorrow we head to last stop on this island.

Perhaps the most unexpected sight today was multiple flags and signs for a lavender festival.

“The Misato Lavender Festival (Misato-machi Lav): You can wander through massive fields featuring roughly 20,000 plants across 7 different varieties. This includes the rare white lavender variety known as “Misato Sekka”. During the festival, you can enjoy lavender-themed foods (like lavender ice cream), browse local crafts, and even try a hands-on lavender picking experience”

Today was quite a long one, though still 24hours. So we only got to see a path along the roadside. Very pretty though, with the occasional weed trying to disguise itself.

Kakunodate is famed for its Samurai housing dating back to 1620. Cherry trees, and snow. This basin gets the highest snowfall in Japan.

Not today, just a headwind as we wound our way through the forests and plains. The latter was buzzing with wee folks tending their crops: small towns full of repair shops for tractor like things.

All in all, not too shabby a day.