Today I thought I would write about something more current. For the past few months, Aomori Station was getting a makeover. The old station will close on April 26 of this month. On Saturday, April 27, the fifth generation of Aomori Station will open its doors to the public. I decided to keep a pictorial history of the old station as I've been using it twice a week since I moved here.
今日は青森で超話題の出来事のネタを書きます。青森駅に結構前からずーと工事してた。自分はあんまり気にしてなかったけど、今月その工事がほぼ終了致しました。実は青森駅は新しくになる。現在の駅舎は４代目で１９５９年開業。今月の２６日に４代目の駅舎の幕が閉じる。そして土曜日４月２７日５台目、青森新駅舎が誕生する。それにちなんで旧駅舎になる前に青森駅を改めて詳しく探索した。
On the wall of one side of the corridor leading to the six train platforms, you can see the pictorial history of Aomori Station from its beginnings in Meiji 24 (1891) through Showa 63 (1988). I took a picture of each panel. I took the first few pictures after coming back from Naijoshi on Wednesday night. There was some other cool art work on the walls which I wanted to share.
ホームに繋がる通路の壁側に青森駅の歴時が明治２４年（１８９１）初代駅舎から昭和６３年（１９８８）の大きな写真パネルがずらりと飾ってある。もちろんパネル一枚一枚の写真を撮りました。最初のパネルの写真を撮ったのは水曜日の夜、企業の授業から戻った時。ほかにシェアした壁アートもあった。
This wall art was drawn by the instructor and students of an art academy called CoBaCo. It would be the last in-station art project for the soon to be demolished fourth generation Aomori Station.
この壁画は造形教室の先生の生徒が描いた青森駅「エキナカアート」。４代目の青森駅舎が今月末が廃業になり、最後のアートプロジェクトとなった。
This would be the final day where I used this corridor to go to Platform 6 or 4 to catch my train to Naijoshi on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. You can see the large picture panels on the right.
今日この通路を使うのが最後となる。いつもここを歩いて４番か６番ホームに行って、弘前方面の電車に乗ってた。大きなな写真パネルが右側の壁に飾ってある。
Meiji 24 (1891) Aomori Station opens on September 1.
明治２４（１８９１）年９月１日初代青森駅舎開業。
Meiji 39 (1906) The second generation Aomori Station opens. Once again on September 1.
明治３９（１９０６）年 ９月１日落成した２代目駅舎。
This is the first Aomori-Hakodate Ferry called the [Hirafu Maru]. It was used at the end of the Meiji Era through the beginning of the Taisho Era.
最初の青函連絡船「比羅夫丸（ひろふまる）」。明治松期ー大正初期
Aomori Station decorated with a banner celebrating eighty years since the beginning of Japan's rail transport.
鉄道８０周年を祝う製飾りした青森駅。昭和２７（１９５２）年頃
Aomori Station ticket gate around 1952.
青森駅改札の様子。昭和２７（１９５２）年頃
Platforms 3 and 4 at Aomori Station around 1952.
青森駅３・４番ホームの様子。昭和２７（１９５２）年頃
Aomori Station was also having a little quiz rally. You had to answer four different questions. The questions were posted at different tourist sites - the Memorial Ship [Hakkoda Maru], The Nebuta House [Wa-Rasse], A-Factory and of course at Aomori Station. If you answered all the questions correctly, you could take the answer sheet to the Midori no Madoguchi (the JR Ticket Office) and exchange it for limited edition Aomori Station goods. Either a tote bag or a small hand-cloth. I did the quiz, got all the answers right, and was hoping to get the tote bag, but the station staff said they haven't received it yet so I was given the hand towel.
青森駅が閉店まじかでちょっとしたクイズラリーを開催してた。四つの質問に答えなきゃいけない。でも質問がある場所も４ヶ所。メモリアルシップ「八甲田丸」、ねぶたの家「ワ・ラッセ」、Aファクトリーともちろん青森駅。全正解すると青森駅限定グッズが貰える。回答シートをみどりの窓口まで提出すれば貰える。商品はトートバッグかハンドタオル。クイズをやって、全正解して、トートバッグが貰えると思ったら駅員がトートはまだ届いてないのでハンドタオルを貰った。
On Friday, the last day of the old station would be in use, I decided to wander around one final time.
金曜日が４代目駅舎の最終日なので、もう一回見に行った。
I believe my friend went and had lunch here when he visited me back in 2018. The name of the shop is called [Tsugaruji]. They have already closed shop to make way for the new station. Perhaps they will close temporarily and will re-open in another location.
確か僕の友達が俺を会いに来た時、自分一人でこの店でランチを食べた。つがる路（つがるじ）はもうすんでに閉店してます。一時的の閉店かどうかわかりません。もしかたら別の場所の移転するだけかも。
This Eki no Eki [Aomori] was a souvenir shop selling Aomori regional goods.
駅の駅「あおもり」は青森県産物を販売してた店。
This is the last day of use for these ticket gates.
この改札の最終日にもなってる。
The ticket office will move to the second floor of the new building as well.
駅員がいる改札の事務所も新しいビルの二階になる。
The fourth generation Aomori Station Memorial Picture Wall.
青森駅４代目駅舎「思い出写真展」。
The Aoimori Railway Line ticket office.
あおいもり鉄道きっぷうりば。
I bought a ticket which lets you wander freely around the station and the platforms.
駅の入場券を買って最終日の駅舎をもう一度ゆっきり見る。
An aerial photograph of Aomori Station and its surroundings.
More art from the students of CoBaCo.
CoBaCoの生徒たちのアート。
Platform 6. Where I usually went to catch the 11:58am train headed towards Odate in Akita Prefecture. It's a local train and I get off one station before Hirosaki at a station called Naijoshi.
６番ホーム。自分は毎週の火・水の１１：５８発大館行きの電車に乗る。僕は弘前の手前の駅撫牛子（ないじょうし）で降りる。
That's the new corridor which will open tomorrow.
あれが明日開業する自由通路。
I decided to go as far as the West Exit before returning to the East Exit which is the main exit for Aomori station.
西口まで行ってみた。そして東口に戻る。東口が青森駅のメインの出口です。
The West Exit.
西口。
The very small waiting area in the west exit.
西口の待合室。
There is a train at rest.
電車が待機してる。
The train on the left is the Ou Line while the blue train on the right is the Aoimori Railway Line headed for Hachinohe. If you look closely at the blue train, you will see Aoimori Railway Line's mascot Mori printed on the very front.
左側の電車は奥本線。右側の青い電車は八戸行きの青い鉄道。良く見ると青い森鉄道のマスコットモーリが見えるよ。
Last Wednesday I didn't get a chance to take pictures of all the historical picture panels but since I had the time to do so today, that is exactly what I did.
水曜日に探索した時、青森歴史パネル全ての写真が撮れなくて、今日はちょっと余裕もあり、ほかのパネルの写真を撮れた。
The third generation Aomori Station ticket gate around May of 1955.
３代目駅舎の改札口。昭和３０（１９５５）年５月
Aomori Station Square around 1958.
青森駅前広場。昭和３３（１９５８）年
Aomori Station and Shinmachi Street. The picture was taken in May of 1960 about six months after the new station opened.
青森駅と新町通り。駅舎が出来て半年たっと頃。昭和３５（１９６０）年５月
On the left in the foreground is the first wharf and a moveable bridge. On the right in the background is the second wharf and moveable bridge, circa 1965.
左手前が第一岸壁と可動橋、右奥が第二岸壁と可動橋。昭和４０（１９６５）年頃
Christmas Day, 1959. The fourth generation Aomori station is completed. The picture was taken in September of 1960.
昭和３４（１９５９）年１２月２５日落成。４代目となる現駅舎。昭和３５（１９６０）年９月
The entrance to the Aomori-Hakodate Ferry in May of 1966.
青函連絡船乗車口。昭和４１（１９６６）年５月
Parents and friends seeing their friends off for their group employment in March of 1968.
集団就職で旅立つ子どもたちを万歳で見送る。昭和４３（１９６８）年３月
Celebrating the electrification of the Tohoku Main Line in front of Aomori station in October of 1968.
東北本線複線電化完成でにぎわう青森駅前。昭和４３（１９６８）年１０月
Aomori Station and surroundings and the Aomori-Hakodate Ferry coming to harbor at Aomori Port in November of 1969.
青森駅の全景と青函連絡船が入港する青森港。昭和４４（１９６９）年１１月。
An aerial view of Aomori Station in 1969.
上空から見た青森駅。昭和４４（１９６９）年
The area around Aomori Bay during the peak period of the Aomori-Hakodate Ferry run. November of 1973.
青函連絡船が最盛期だった頃の青森駅構内。昭和４８（１９７３）年１１月
Snow shoveling in front of the Limited Express [Yuzuru] and [Hakutsuru] around January of 1977.
特急「ゆうづる」、「はくつる」の前で除雪作業。昭和５２（１９７７）年１月
Even the Japan Self Defense Force came out to help during the great snowfall of 1977.
自衛隊も出勤した昭和５２豪雪。昭和５２（１９７７）年１月
The Aomori-Hakodate Ferry [Hakkoda Maru] coming to port.
入港中の八甲田丸。昭和５４（１９７９）年
People worrying about train delays at Aomori station because the great snowfall in December of 1984.
豪雪のため列車の遅れを心配する人々。昭和５９（１９８４）年１２月
The opening ceremony of the Tsugaru Kaikyo Line on March 13, 1988.
青森駅で津軽海峡線開業出発式。昭和６３（１９８８）年３月１３日
The Aomori-Hakodate Ferry [Hakkoda Maru] on it's final run on March 13, 1988.
最後の青函連絡船「八甲田丸」の青森出航。
Spring campaign ad for my place of employ - James English School.
駅の中でジャイムズ英会話の春キャンペーン中の宣伝。
Walking back to the main entrance.
メインの改札に戻る。
This is the Aomori Prefecture mascot "Ikube".
青森県マスコットの「いくべぇ」。
Aomori Nebuta / 青森ねぶた
There are smaller pictures showing the history of Aomori but there are so many I decided not to take a picture of each one.
青森歴史の写真がいっぱいありすぎて全部撮るのはちょっと無理がある。
The Aoimori Railway Line ticket office. The Aoimori Railway Line is celebrating it's tenth anniversary of connecting Hachinohe to Aomori City.
青い森鉄道の窓口。今年は八戸・青森を繋いでの１０周年記念だ。
Aoimori Railways
Aoimori Railway Line's mascot Mori.
青い森鉄道のマスコット「モーリー」。
Tomorrow, Saturday, March 27, the new Aomori Station will open. I'm going to find some time between classes to check it out.
明日、土曜日、３月２７日、青森駅新駅舎開業！授業の間でまた見にいくつもりである。
