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Thanks to the clean sheets, I was able to relax and unwind from yesterday's trip, so I'm excited to get going again today!
The destination is Sendai. On the way back, we'll stop off along the way!
On the second day, we plan to return to Sendai while sightseeing
Our destination is Iwate, a place we only had a short stop in yesterday
It's 10am, let's head on over
First, take the Akita Shinkansen to Morioka Station
We board the Akita Shinkansen, Komachi No. 18, departing at 10:07 a.m. and head to Morioka
Yesterday I took the Tazawako Line and the Ou Main Line to Akita, but today I'm heading straight there
The journey time between Akita Station and Morioka Station is 1 hour and 48 minutes
This year marks the milestone anniversary of the opening! The ekiben are also gorgeous!
I hadn't had breakfast yet, so I bought a bento box at Akita Station and had a late breakfast
It's been a while since I last bought an ekiben, and wow, it's so exciting! I just want to eat it, but I can't eat two or three, so I chose a dish that I'm really excited about
The name is "Akita Station 120th Anniversary Akita Terminal Bento"
You might be thinking, "Isn't this the 150th anniversary of JR East?", but this year is also a memorable one for Akita Station
Yes, it's the 120th anniversary. The contents also have the energy of the past 120 years in them
I can't explain everything, so here's a photo of the menu
Look at this menu, it's the most extravagant I've seen since my friend's wedding
Just looking at this shows how blessed Akita is with ingredients from the sea and mountains
What's interesting is that each item in the makunouchi bento is inspired by a different train line in Akita
Everything was delicious and I was very satisfied, but even though I live in Kamaboko Prefecture (Miyagi), it was my first time to eat kamaboko with tonburi inside
The unique texture complements the original flavor of the kamaboko without interfering with it, making for an exquisite taste
Arrived at Morioka Station, heading for Hiraizumi
After a late breakfast, I dozed off when I arrived at Morioka Station at 11:47. From here, I changed trains and headed to Ichinoseki
That's right. I said I would stop off along the way on my way back to Sendai, but I already had a destination in mind
"Ichinoseki" and "Hiraizumi"
The transfer time is 12:08, and since I first need to transfer at Ichinoseki Station to get to Hiraizumi, I decide to take the Tohoku Shinkansen Yamabiko No. 60
Arrived at Ichinoseki Station!
Ichinoseki Station opened as a Japanese Railway station in 1890, and is a large station with many lines as it is a connecting station for the Tohoku Shinkansen and the conventional Tohoku Main Line and Ofunato Line
The departure melody here is an arrangement of "Yugure Toki wa Sabishisou," a hit song by NSP (New Sadistic Pink), a band that graduated from Ichinoseki National College of Technology. It's a melancholic song that really touches the heart, so be sure to give it a listen if you're ever in Ichinoseki
By the way, I wasn't able to take a photo at Ichinoseki Station, but I was excited to see the next-generation Shinkansen "ALFA-X" passing through on a test run. Apparently, during the test run with the press on board, it was measured at 388 km/h near Ichinoseki
Ichinoseki? Ichinoseki?
By the way, have you noticed that although the name is "Ichinoseki", it has two written names: Ichinoseki and Ichinoseki?
Until recently, I too was unsure whether it was Ichinoseki or Ichinoseki
There are several theories about the origin of the name Ichinoseki. One story is that it comes from the fact that the Abe clan, who ruled the Oku-roku-gun region as the head of prisoners of war until the late Heian period, Ichinoseki, Ninoseki, and Sannoseki was called "Ichinoseki Village" rather than the current "Ichinoseki
After 1889, "Ichinoseki Town, Nishiiwai County," and the current Ichinoseki Station opened the following year in 1890. However, because the name of the area at the time the station was built was "Ichinoseki," and the name "Ichinoseki Station" was not commonly used by the townspeople, it was decided to write it as "Ichinoseki Station," as it was before the implementation of the town and village system.
The current name of the place is, of course, "Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture .
However, when writing about Ichinoseki Station, it is written as "Ichinoseki."
It's confusing, but it's also a place name that remains from the Meiji period, or even earlier, the late Heian period
Now, let's head to Hiraizumi!
To get to Hiraizumi from Ichinoseki Station, you can use various means of transportation, including buses, but we recommend transferring and taking the Tohoku Main Line to Hiraizumi
However, looking at the timetable, I see that I have to wait an hour to transfer... It's a bit of a tricky time, but I decide to wait while drinking coffee at a cafe in front of the station
While I was resting at the coffee shop, it was already 1:45pm and I decided it was time to head out
From Ichinoseki Station to Hiraizumi Station on the Tohoku Main Line, there are two stations in between, Yamanome Station, and the ride takes about 7 minutes, so you'll arrive in no time
Arrived at Hiraizumi Station!
We arrived at Hiraizumi Station in no time at all!
Come to think of it, this was the first time I got off at Hiraizumi Station
I've been to Hiraizumi several times for sightseeing, but I always came by car, so this was my first time at the station. As you can see from the photo, Hiraizumi Station is a really clean station, well-maintained and well-maintained
Hiraizumi Station opened as a Japanese railway station in 1898, and was damaged by machine gun fire from the US military during World War II in 1945. At that time, 45 private homes around the station were also set ablaze
In 1966, the current station building was rebuilt as a single-story reinforced concrete structure, but the 2011 Tohoku Pacific Ocean Earthquake caused extensive damage to the station, including buckling of pillars and cracks and collapse of walls, pillars, and other structural components. Around this time, in line with Hiraizumi's aim to have its cultural heritage sites, including Chusonji Temple and Motsuji Temple, registered as a World Heritage Site, plans were made to renovate both the interior and exterior of the station building, and renovation work began in May of the same year, resulting in the current station building
It is a robust station that has recovered despite having suffered two major disasters throughout its long history. I forgot to take a photo, but there is a pillar on display inside the station that still bears the scars of a machine gun attack from 1945, so I recommend stopping by to learn more about the history of Hiraizumi Station
To Chusonji Temple!
It was already 2pm when we arrived in Hiraizumi, and since we had been on the train the whole time, we decided to walk to Chusonji Temple to get some exercise
The distance to Chusonji Temple is about 1.8 km, and it takes about 20 minutes on foot
Fill up at the restaurant in the municipal parking lot
I arrived at Chusonji Temple safely, but time had passed since the bento I had for a late breakfast that morning and I was feeling hungry, so I decided to have a late lunch
The town-run parking lot is home to many souvenir shops and restaurants, giving it an even more touristy feel
Since it was a weekday, we had lunch at Izumibashian, located in the municipal parking lot
Looking at the menu, I was torn between soba noodles and rice bowls, but I decided to order 24 bowls of "Wankosoba."
Actually, this is my first time to eat "wankosoba." I'm big, but I don't like eating the same thing over and over, and I'm not really a big eater, so I've been avoiding it when I go out around Morioka
But this time I'm determined to give it a try
I only found out after eating it that Hiraizumi's "wankosoba" is not like the endless struggle of pouring that we often see on TV, but rather that the bowls are served in predetermined cups from the start
Apparently 24 bowls is the equivalent of two regular soba noodles, so even though I was a bit nervous when I ordered, I was able to eat it all in no time. The accompanying pickles, condiments, and grated yam allowed me to change the flavor as I went, so I was able to enjoy it all the way to the end without getting bored
INFORMATION
Store name: Izumibashian
Store address: 34-2, Hiraizumi Kinuzeki, Hiraizumi-cho, Nishiiwai-gun, Iwate Prefecture
Business hours: 11:00-15:30 *May vary depending on the season
Closed: Mondays
GOOGLE MAP
After lunch, I went to Tohoku! Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the opening of the railway! Traveling with the JR East Pass. This concludes the first half of Day 2.
In the second half of the second day, we finally head to the World Heritage sites of Chusonji Temple and Motsuji Temple. Our two-day, one-night trip using the JR East Pass is finally coming to an end. Please stay with us until the end
Summary of today's transportation costs for the first half of the second day (compared to regular fares)
This is a summary of travel and fares for the second day
The journey departs from Akita Station and passes through Morioka Station and Ichinoseki Station before arriving at Hiraizumi Station. Here is the fare table at the end!
Celebrating JR East's 150th anniversary, free pass ticket 22,150 yen
I'm a member of the Neft editorial team. I love alcohol, music, and traveling, so I indulge in some drinks after work on weekdays, and on weekends, if I have free time, I travel to nearby areas. I work hard every day with the goal of eventually traveling overseas to find connections to Tohoku through NEFT reporting.
