[#MyTravelLog] A Stroll Through Kuji, Tanohata, and Iwaizumi Part 1
Prologue
About ten years ago, I was working at a certain car rental company in front of Morioka Station.
Specifically, it was around the time when "Amachan" was a huge hit.
Customers who arrived in Morioka City by Shinkansen would rent a car from our shop, sightsee around Morioka City and Iwate Prefecture and return the same day, while others would stay overnight in places outside Morioka City, like Ichinoseki City or Kamaishi City, and return the next day. When renting out cars, the most popular destination was, of course,
Kuji City. It was the
Amachan fever, after all. Next were
Miyako/Jodogahama, Hanamaki/Miyazawa Kenji Memorial Museum, Esashi/Fujiwara no Sato, and so on. The number one spot was Kuji City. That probably hasn't changed even now.
Customer: "It's not even 10 o'clock yet. I'll go to Kuji and see the Amachan townscape, right? After that, I'll go to Kitayamazaki. I heard I can take a boat there? I'm also curious about Unosu Cliff. Let's say I have lunch around there. Isn't there a Ryusendo Cave nearby? I want to see that to digest my food. Then, I want to make a plan to come back here. Let's see... I'm thinking I can get back here by 18:00 at the latest, right? Isn't that a perfect plan?"
As told, I started entering the destinations into the car navigation system.
Morioka Station → Kuji Station → Kitayamazaki → Unosu Cliff → Ryusendo Cave → Morioka Station.
The required time for travel alone is over 6 hours. The driving distance is over 300km.
The customer, who had been smiling and saying, "You're a polite clerk, is this your first time in Iwate?", saw their face go pale, then turn bright red in an instant, and they started shouting.
Customer: "You! Are you kidding me!? Why does it end up like this!?"
Even though I just entered it exactly as I was told.
First, I would apologize profusely, Iwate is extremely vast and explain that very carefully and politely, prioritize their first choice, and propose a different plan.Since that happens almost every day, when I asked about their route, I would ask things like, "Um, are you planning to stay over there?"
Perhaps people involved with travel agencies in Hokkaido might understand.
It's 300km from Hakodate City to Sapporo City...(I just Googled it)
When traveling by car, you should enter your desired destinations into Google Maps to check the general route and approximate travel time.Doing your homework is important.
Route creation
Well, that was over ten years ago.
I suddenly remembered that route and decided to go.
(The actual starting point is my home, not Morioka Station)
I originally planned for a 2-day, 1-night trip, but Ryusendo Onsen Hotel was cheaper than I thought (and it even included a ticket to enter Ryusendo Cave!), so I made it a 3-day, 2-night trip.
Oh, this includes the expressway! I thought, and modified it.
Day one
Late May 2023.
I left around 8:30 AM and arrived at the Kuji Amber Museum shortly after 11:00 AM. I must have visited several times during my childhood and also in 2007, but my memories of those times have faded. I enjoyed the amber and fossils (some exhibits were off-limits for photography...).
There was a cat in the souvenir corner. Its name is Michael. When I thought, "What's Michael?" the clerk smiled and explained, "We took the name from What's Michael?, you know."
It was a good kitty.
I gave up on the restaurant on the same premises, "Bistro Kunonoko"... no, that wasn't it. " Amber Forest Restaurant Kunonoko," because it was suddenly reserved for a private party and I couldn't eat there.
To Moguranpia
March 11, 2011.
Moguranpia was hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake and was completely destroyed.
And then
2016.
It made a full recovery and continues to this day.
Regarding the revival of Mogranpia,we must never forget that there was tremendous support from Sakana-kun... no, Sakana-kunsan. Knowing that, I stood still for a few minutes at this face-in-hole board at the entrance. As someone living in Iwate Prefecture, I am truly grateful.
Aquarium = Fish!? The episode where he joined the brass band (suisougaku-bu) because of this is famous.
Back to the exhibits inside the building.
You really can't leave out the pufferfish.
Its front legs? were twitching.
For an additional fee, you can also experiencethe Garra rufa experience.
It's what they calldoctor fish.
When you put your hands or feet in, theyeat the dead skin there. It's quite ticklish and tingly.I felt really sorry for them, looking so happy eating the dead skin or grime accumulated on an old man's soles.
Certainly, I feel like I've seen it inNausicaä,or maybe not.
The building also houses theOil Culture Hall,where you can learn about oil. There are displays of heavy machinery, cute mascots, and educational videos!
A cool (slang) lady in a full-body suit with an 80s idol-like tone appears.
The mascot's yellow and brown colors are because oil? crude oil? and seawater have different specific gravities,so it was supposed to bea diagram of storing oil inside seawater?,if I recall correctly.
Leaving Mogranpia, I headed into town.
The smile is wonderful.
I think this is also a face-in-hole board.
I had Iso Ramen at a place that felt like a food stall village or a local Chinese restaurant. Delicious!
I ate the meal I had missed, and since I had plenty of time before check-in, I killed time at a karaoke place in front of the station. Come to think of it, I might have come to this shop in 2007 too.
Thinking about it calmly now,Mifune 10th Dan Memorial Hallor something like that would have been good to visit.
Since it was a good time, I moved fromKuji CitytoNoda Village.
To the hotel
Maybe there's a high ratio of face-in-hole boards.
At check-in,
Is there a convenience store nearby? → I was told, "Maybe about 8km away?"so I gave up.
I took a bath, lounged in my room, and explored the building.
"Ii no da." (It's fine.) Ah, like Bakabon's Papa, right? Because it's Noda Village, right?
It somehow hit the spot.
Meal time! Since I'm here, I'll have some alcohol too!
Wow, I wonder if I can eat all this (monotone).
When I make eye contact with the staff, for some reason they emphasize, "You can have refills on the rice, you know"
When it comes to ice cream on the northern coast of the prefecture, this is the one.
The penguin is very cute.
The stick being inserted diagonallyis its characteristic.
Maybe I'll take another bath! Since it's a weekday, there was no one there!
I fully enjoyed my trip.
The first day ends here. It continues to the second day.
Thank you for reading.