Aomori was our last port of call before arriving back to Yokohama. We were the largest ship to arrive, and were met with great fanfare. Another brass band, and local dancers and singers entertained us while we waited to be processed through immigration. This modern northern town is home to many festivals, the biggest is the Nebuta Festival featuring a parade of large floats made of paper over a wire frame and lit from within. We visited a museum displaying many of these fantastic floats. It’s also famous for it’s apples and they have apple everything. We tried 2 types of apple ice cream (and also some sake flavoured ice cream for good measure)! Aomori was also an important port, being the closest to the northern island of Hokkaido, so they would ferry train cars (passenger and freight) over – until the 56 kilometer undersea Seikan Tunnel was built. This railway tunnel now connects the two islands, coming out in Hakodate.
Local performers showing us some local dances with music. The women playing the drums, the Japanese shamisen and signing - were rockin’ it. They looked so demure, but they sure amped it up when they played.
Another (very good) brass band.
A couple of the sites we were going to visit. The A-frame building houses the tourism office, and has an observation deck. And the yellow ship is the Railcar Ferry Museum.
One of their Crab Apple trees. Lost in translation I guess.
Some examples of the figures on the floats.
Some of the floats used in the parade.
Some of the Nebuta floats. They’re a lot safer now that they use led lights instead of candles to light them.
...and Godzilla and Ultra Man.
A couple of floats under construction.
Inside the Railcar Ferry Museum. The decks above the cargo hold kind of reminded us of BC Ferrie's Queen of Naniamo that was retired this year. But here they consider a ship that old a museum piece!
The streets of Aomori. We didn’t eat at “Amazing Taste”, we were too late in the day. Though they did seem to have it all… “and more!!!”.
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