Today is a transit day between Tono and Hachinohe. There will be three trains to catch. Total travel time about three hours. Japan has a great rail network but there are many transfers on most trips (DW edit: this is an exaggeration, there are local trains and intercity rural trains, you get a local train to the main station and a single intercity train then with another local at the other end. The timetables for this line up well generally.)
The morning begins dramatically in Tono as we experience an earthquake while packing our bags! It is a 4.4 off the coast not that far from us. We are both very excited/nervous. Other than the building rumbling there are no further implications. When discussed with the inn keeper on check out he dismissively says “yes, very small”. Later in Hachinohe our bartender says “normal for us”. A man in the corner cheerfully mutters “Australians” when we use google translate to say we were a bit scared.
Hachinohe is not off the beaten track – it’s quite a big city – but it is an unusual tourist destination. It’s like the Newcastle of Japan, with the addition of it being frigidly cold.
Tomorrow we begin our hike (which upon closer inspection more closely resembles a walk).
DW: I installed an app for Caitlin that gives her earthquake and tsunami data. She is using it non-stop. She uses her newfound app to mark our location in Tono as “Slight Tremor” and engage with Japan tectonic social media.DW: An interesting facet of Kappas and Japanese mythological creatures in general is the sheer variety of ways they are portrayed. They don’t have the homogeneity of something like elves in modern-day fantasy. Some kappas are cute, some weird, some scary, but all are Kappas. CR: This is the middle of downtown Tono. We amble around for a few hours before our train but as usual, nothing really opens until lunch time. Every third store is a hairdresser, which seems surplus to the needs of the town. In Vietnam, these levels of confusing economy were definitely scam. In Japan, I get the feeling it is some elaborately inefficient market structure to ensure the aging population can remain gainfully employed.DW: All these smaller towns seem to have some amazing community facilities. These tend to be aimed at local culture and bringing people together, This is the Book Forest in Tono and is definitely targeted at locals. This and a healthy active nightlife (at least in a few intimate venues) is very rarely something seen in Australia for an equivalent town. CR: Upon entering we are given many instruction pamphlets and have to fill out a questionnaire. We are used to this now. The Japanese love to collect seemingly useless data about you, even at somewhere as innocuous as a bookstore. I believe this supports a whole extra layer of the economy – those devoted to the recording and aggregation of low level personal facts. As far as I can tell, the only point of gathering all this data is to put stickers on a world map that depicts where their customers are from.DW: Conductor Decondo-san-kappa makes sure the trains always run on time (provided you give him a cucumber).DW: Mt Iwate in the distance was just a smidge over 2000m tall. It loomed in the horizon as we trekked north. CR: I was sad that I never got to see Fuji but in the end I think I got just as much pleasure out of Mt Iwate. We got to see it for about half an hour on the first train trip of the day.DW: The conductor of the Shinkansen does continual checks while at the platform. At a later station there was a slight delay as everyone was getting off. The slowpokes were continuously informed through a public speaker system of what I can only assume is the shame they should have for slowing down the schedule.DW: We have made it to the coast. Caitlin is just grateful there was no Shin-Godzilla statue for her to be eaten by.DW: I really expected Hachinohe to be a bit of a dud, but it has an intriguingly vibrant city centre. There are alleyways filled with tiny bars and eateries that hold a maximum of half a dozen people each. CR: Dad, this is like a real life Google reviews at the train station. You can add a little review to a shop you like and plonk it on the map. What would the public would write about BSM?CR: You’ve heard of the Amalfi coast; you’ve been to Bondi but have you felt the pleasures that Hachinohe port brings to the eye? We’re so cold here. When we got off the train at 3pm it was 7degrees. My complete lack of preparation is now showing, as I have limited cold weather clothing.DW: I couldn’t confirm it, but the massive mural of a cetacean above this fishmonger made me suspect I could get whale here. This is the only Japanese quintessential food that we have not had. Perhaps they are treading carefully around our delicate Western sensitivities related to the issue.DW: Yakataki! (CR edit: takoyaki) So many delicious tiny morsels to collect on our trip, but so little room in the belly. CR: These are creamy balls filled with octopus offcuts that are turned and turned by this grandma until adequately squishy. I tried to purchase only two but after my google translate went through three levels of staff members I was told no, only 8 balls. I buy 8 balls.DW: There are barely any public benches in Japan. Stoops are often attached to restaurants and have No Loitering signs around them. As a result, we end up eating our creamy seafood offcuts in some back-alley like the filthy Australians we are. They are delicious.DW: This cocktail was designed by Prince (the proprietor) to capture the essence of the sunrise over the coastal trail. We order two and make extensive use of Google translate to facilitate a halting conservation with Prince. I eat Caitlin’s quail egg sun-metaphor as well as my own. I feel empowered to begin the walk.DW: Hachinohe nightlife. I shamelessly stole this shot by copying some guy walking past with a film camera who snapped it and moved on with barely a stop.
Paper pamphlets seem old fashioned for collecting information. I thought they might have some sort of touch screen system.
Have you been on a train where they the station staff push you in because it’s so packed.
Haha. Real life google reviews for bsm would just be an avalanche of negativity which I would be happy to add to.
Was the mural the blue banner hanging behind the counter.
The town looks a bit drab.
I’ve noticed everywhere looks neat and clean.
How many kms are you walking each day.
Cait I think you should install the book display shelves on all walls in blackheath. Kappas are not endearing to look at but I did like the topiary trees in the background. My favourite photo is the sole conductor looking out of the train. It reminded me of wes anderson. I do not approve of eggs in cocktails. Buy a jacket!!! Lots of love ❤️
We’ve been to some very full trains but no one squishing us together from outside.
The mural of the whale was above the shop front, visible from outside.
I wonder where they process the whale? That is a big animal.
Not too sure how much we are walking. Quite a lot I suppose.
Cocktail egg yolks are weird! I didn’t have mine..
Declan got the snap of the train conductor, he has a good artistic eye 🙂
The book centre looked warm and inviting.
Paper pamphlets seem old fashioned for collecting information. I thought they might have some sort of touch screen system.
Have you been on a train where they the station staff push you in because it’s so packed.
Haha. Real life google reviews for bsm would just be an avalanche of negativity which I would be happy to add to.
Was the mural the blue banner hanging behind the counter.
The town looks a bit drab.
I’ve noticed everywhere looks neat and clean.
How many kms are you walking each day.
Cait I think you should install the book display shelves on all walls in blackheath. Kappas are not endearing to look at but I did like the topiary trees in the background. My favourite photo is the sole conductor looking out of the train. It reminded me of wes anderson. I do not approve of eggs in cocktails. Buy a jacket!!! Lots of love ❤️
We’ve been to some very full trains but no one squishing us together from outside.
The mural of the whale was above the shop front, visible from outside.
I wonder where they process the whale? That is a big animal.
Not too sure how much we are walking. Quite a lot I suppose.
Cocktail egg yolks are weird! I didn’t have mine..
Declan got the snap of the train conductor, he has a good artistic eye 🙂