Akita to Aomori by Train (3 nights, 2 days)

October 16 – 18, 2020

On several occasions, I have found myself trying to quickly explain various elements of Japanese culture (I am NOT qualified to do this) to my friends and family. One spot we keep coming back to is Japanese hobby culture. The best way I’ve been able to explain it is, think of a hobby. Any hobby. Cooking, camping, fishing, art, driving… If you’re like me, when I was working full time in the US, I would feel really lucky to have a couple hours in the evenings and hopefully some time on the weekend to maaaaaybe consider doing any of my hobbies.

In Japan, hobbyists are dedicated. Think of your level of dedication to your hobby and multiply it by 1000. From the outside looking in, in Japan you don’t just enjoy photography, you own 5 cameras and a dozen lenses so that you can travel to famous bird watching locations to hone your skills. You don’t just enjoy fishing, you pack your kei-van full of every high-end, name brand piece of fishing equipment needed to stock your own fishing shop so you can spend every holiday on fishing trips (away from your annoying family).

Most importantly (for this blog post), you don’t just like trains. You purchase train-focused magazines, are aware of specific train models and how they have evolved throughout history, their routes and timetables… You travel to a specific location to see a specific train.

Which is what we did for this trip.

Day 1: Utsunomiya –> Akita (Shinkansen)

After work on a Friday night, we took the Shinkansen from Utsunomiya to Akita City. About a month in advance, Andrew and I booked tickets on the “famous” sightseeing train, the Resort Shirakami. It runs from Akita City to Aomori City on the Gono Line, nestled between the coast of the Sea of Japan and Shirakami-Sanchi, a protected forest and UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, we had to get to Akita first. So, following tradition we grabbed a couple train beers and snacks at the konbini to hold us over for the roughly 3.5-hour ride north. I booked a business hotel in Akita since we would be arriving late, these hotels typically don’t mind a late check-in time.

Day 2: Akita –> Aomori (Gono Line – Resort Shirakami)

We booked the afternoon Resort Shirakami train leaving at 2pm, both so we’d have time to explore Akita City and so that we would (hopefully) get a good sunset view during the 5-hour trip. So, upon waking in Akita City the first order of business (as usual) was LOCATE. COFFEE. What we managed to locate instead was some kind of high school student fair/festival. The shopping area attached to the train station was packed with student sales booths, performance spaces for taiko drumming and exhibitions of giant lantern balancing.

After dodging extroverted students shouting “HELLO” at the obvious foreigners to procure coffee, Andrew and I decided to check out the Akita Museum of Art. I’ll go ahead and admit that in addition to not be an expert on Japanese culture, I am also not an expert on art. From any nation or culture. But I did really like the GIANT MURAL here. Unfortunately, no photos allowed. You’ll have to plan your own trip to this remote city in northern Japan to see it, sorry.  

After the museum, we grabbed lunch at a café near the train station. I’ll be honest, the café and food were not remarkable. However, I do want to credit them for inspiring Andrew and I to start the three-month coffee infused shochu homebrew adventure currently taking up a good deal of space in our coat closet. Stay tuned for a thorough review of the end product sometime in February.

Now, for the main event. Around 1:45 we returned to the train station to meet the Resort Shirakami. The main things separating this train from a normal train are:

1. Extra-large windows for taking in the scenery
2. Special observation areas at the front and rear of the train for observing…train things…and scenery…
3. The availability of private box seating where groups can enjoy the views together while comfortably seated around a table.

There are three different Resort Shirakami trains that run on this line. The time and date that you reserve will correspond to one of the three trains. This is important to note, because not all of the trains offer food or beverage service. The train we booked did not, so we packed drinks and snacks sufficient for the 5-hour trip. The views from the train are incredible, but there are also several stops along the route for passengers to get out and explore the scenery. Announcements are made in Japanese and English so you know where and when to look for highlights along the route. I really liked this experience and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys comfortable sightseeing.

In Aomori City, I booked another simple business hotel. We arrived in the city around 7pm, grabbed dinner at a random izakaya, and turned in early.

Day 3: Aomori –> Utsunomiya (Shinkansen)

Aomori is famous for apples, Nebuta festival floats, and natural beauty. Unfortunately, since we stayed in the city, we had to settle for apples and festival floats, but 2/3 ain’t bad. The #1 spot I was determined to see in Aomori City was the Aomori Gyosai Center, a marketplace near the train station known for Nokke-don, a type of seafood rice bowl. Here, you purchase tickets to exchange at the market stalls for the toppings to adorn your rice bowl. This was a really fun way to eat and perfect for groups who have different or specific tastes.

After fish for breakfast, we checked out the Nebuta Museum and the A-Factory, an Aomori souvenir shop. Outside of the Museum, Andrew and I had a pleasant conversation with some potential cult-members. After politely declining their offer to meditate together, we decided to hit the road (hit the train tracks?) and return home.