Wednesday 3^rd May, 2017

Lake Towada to Aomori (145kms)

Aomori ferry to Hakodate (Hokkaido)

Lovely sunny morning, hotel overlooks Lake Towada.

First up was a Regularity, 5kms from the hotel, about 6kms uphill at 50kph.

Arrived at the start for the second regularity, 23kms further on to be advised that it was cancelled as deemed “too boring”.

Lots of cherries grown in this area but it is too early in the season for any fruit. The trees here are espaliered across the top. Logging also operating here.

A 53 km run on the Expressway to arrive at the driving test for the day. We haven’t had any trouble at the toll booths lately, maybe we have mastered the different types. 

The circuit was 2kms in length, wide sweeping bends, little undulation and some almost blind corners. A large volcanic mountain with a snowy top could be seen from parts of the track but the driver didn’t see it as he was focussed on the track and the navigator was too busy hanging on to take photographs or busy counting the laps as we sped past the “A” board. We had to do 5 laps and exit on the 6^th lap.

Another 15kms on, the lunch stop was at Aomori Festival Hall. Lunch was a tasty sandwich (first brown bread we’ve had) and a locally produced apple drink.

After lunch we had time to visit the Nebuta Museum. Every year about 20 large floats are made for the Nebuta Festival held in August. The custom of this festival was seen nationally as a custom that was practised to ward off the sleep demons- the enemies of farmwork. These demons were said to cause drowsiness during the busy summer harvest season.  The external walls of the museum were rust coloured vertical steel slats.

Also in this area was moored the “Hakkouda Maru”, a ferry which linked Aomori and Hakkodate for 24 years until a tunnel was built, the world’s largest at the time. The tunnel was considered necessary after a typhoon hit some passenger ships with a large loss of life.

Lined up waiting to drive onto the ferry, there was a local band playing drums, pipes and cymbals and a large banner welcoming the Samurai Challenge.

On board the ferry there are large carpeted communal rooms where you can lie down & rest during the crossing. Shoes are placed on shelving. On the Sado ferry there were rooms with futons and pillows laid out which you could hire.

It was getting dark as we arrived at the hotel not far out of Hakodate, the first night arrival we have had.