#aomori-ken

[zegalba]

Yoshitomo Nara: Aomori-ken (Aomori Dog), 2005

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Yoshitomo Nara "Aomori-ken" Tomomi Sasaki

[merpmonde]

Best train shots of the Japan trip pt 1

Aizu Tetsudô's tourist train Ozatoro-tenbô departs Ashinomaki Onsen, heading South for the Aga river valley. The train's name combines the three types of seating available: ozashiki お座敷 tatami room, torokko トロッコ open wagon, and tenbô 展望 panoramic view from the raised saloon.

The Hachinohe line's highlight is getting near the sea between Samekado Lighthouse and the rocky coastline. A JR East local KiHa 130 passes in the early afternoon.

After dropping off passengers bound for Naruto, JR Shikoku's Uzushio Ltd Express from Takamatsu to Tokushima, operated by a 2600 series tilting DMU, leaves Ikenotani.

[mizunokisu]

弘前城 by かがみ～ Via Flickr: Hirosaki Castle

[toshibu]

Utoh Shrine, Aomori-3 by John Cook

[merpmonde]

Seikan Ferry Hakkôda-maru

Having visited the museum ship Mashû-maru in Hakodate, I made sure to see the other preserved train ferry, the Hakkôda-maru, when in Aomori. In fact, it was the very next day! I took a morning boat, and had time to wander in the afternoon.

Like the Mashû-maru, the Hakkôda-maru is permanently moored where it would have docked when in service, out behind Aomori station, with the train tracks continuing only a few hundred metres before reaching the shore. Unfortunately, a big road bridge blocks the view of this layout from the station overpass, but at least we get a close-up of the linkspan, the ramp that was used to roll wagons on and off.

I was somewhat concerned that this ship would offer more of the same, but a lot of more work has been done to the Hakkôda-maru to allow visitors to get around. On this boat, the train deck was accessible, and they have a few wagons on display! The green floor has been added, and normally the rails would protrude, making it a risky place for the public; as mentioned before, passengers would not have been allowed here in service, they would have disembarked their train and boarded the passenger decks directly.

This is the kind of access I was hoping for on the Mashû-maru, and the Hakkôda-maru really scratched the Speyer itch, as the engine rooms and even the funnel can be explored! On the picture at the very top, you can just make out a few people standing on the funnel, now turned into a viewing platform. Going up there among the exhaust pipes was not what I expected, I thought the interior would have been gutted!

Of course, the passenger areas and the bridge are accessible on Hakkôda-maru, and the crew's quarters at the bow have also been preserved. Half of one deck is a local history museum, harking back to the Shôwa era and activities that happened around the Seikan ferry. So overall, the Hakkôda-maru is definitely the superior experience of the two memorial ferries, but if you're in Hakodate, show the Mashû-maru some love too - it's the only one with a horn!

Of course, both ships had a bell, which is still in commission. Giving a gentle ring feels like bringing a bit of life back to the vessel, or paying respect of sorts for its years of service.

[noconcessions]

[fuckyeahjapanandkorea]

Honshu's End (HDR) von JohnShaftFr