Blue Forest Chronicles: Aomori City Forest Museum / 青森市森林博物館

It was during the Obon season in 2017 when I found myself wandering around Aomori City on my own. I had taken a tour of the Memorial Ship [Hakkoda Maru], had lunch at a restaurant called [Pent House] and stopped by a temple called Ichinenji. After that, I decided to check out the Aomori City Forest Museum.

２０１７年お盆の休みのとき、一人で青森市を探索しました。メモリアルシップ「八甲田丸」を始めに、そのあとは「ペントハウス」でランチを食べて、一念時にお参りして、次の場所に行きました。それが青森市森林博物館。

This building was originally used by the Aomori Bureau of Forestry. It's a very nice building.

このビルは青森市林業局で使われたもの。素敵な建物です。

In this small building located outside of the main building houses a steam engine that was used as a forest railway in the Shimokita Peninsula. The train was also used a location piece for the 1965 movie [A Fugitive from the Past].

メインビルの西側にある別館の中に森林鉄道機関車が展示されてます。下北半島に実際使用された機関車です。昭和４０の映画「飢餓海峡」のロケでも使用された。

And then I went into the main building. The entrance fee is 250 yen for adults.

そしてメインビルに入館した。一般の人の観覧料は２５０円。

You're first greeted by a scary Aomori native.

入ってすぐ怖い青森住民がが出迎えする。

A friendlier native seems to be this Japanese serow.

もっと優しい感じの住民がこのニホンカモシカ。

Oh, it's a Tsugaru shamisen in parts.

パーツに分かれてる津軽三味線。

Tools and clothes used in Aomori's past.

昔の青森に使われた道具や洋服。

Steps and pictures made with beech wood.

ブナで作られてる階段や奥にある山の絵。

Intricate woodwork.

繊細な木工細工。

Skis / スキー

The uniform displayed in the middle was worn for the 1936 Winter Olympics which was held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany.

真ん中に転じされてる洋服は五輪大会ユニフォーム。昭和１１、第４回冬季オリンピック大会に着用。

The wind jacket on the left is from 1959. It was used in the 1959 Pre-Winter Olympics games.

左側に飾ってあるのは昭和３４年のウィンドヤッケ。第８回プレ冬季オリンピック大会二着用。

The blazer displayed on the right was the official blazer coat for the 1972 Winter Olympics which was held in Sapporo, Japan.

右側に展示されてるのは五輪大会ブレーザーコート（昭和４７年・札幌）。第１１回冬季オリンピック大会に着用。

The items and panel boards in this room is about the history of Aomori and the cypress tree.

この展示室は青森とヒバの部屋です。ヒバの整理、生態、分布を展示しています。

We're now going to enter the former Director's Office of the Bureau of Forestry.

次の部屋は得別室・旧局長室であり。

This room was also used as a location site for the 1977 movie [Mount Hakkoda] which tells the story of the winter disaster of two regiments of the Imperial Japanese Army who were training on Mount Hakkoda.

この部屋が１９７７年の映画「八甲田山」のロケ地でも使われてた。

News clippings about the movie.

映画に関する新聞記事。

Pictures of the actors and the people they portrayed in the movie.

主な登場人物紹介。その俳優と女優たちと実在した人々の名前が書いてあります。

Below are some of the mock-ups of different schools in Aomori Prefecture.

下記の写真は青森県の学校の模型。

This bear isn't as scary as the one near the entrance.

この熊は入り口にある剥製より怖くない。

The trunk from one large cedar tree.

一本杉幹。

Forest railway in use.

森林鉄道活躍中の時。

Miscellaneous items.

物いろいろ。

A chain made of wood.

木の丸太から出来た「わ」。

The wooden chain was made by native Aomori artist Masaharu Suzuki.

「わ」という作品を作ったのは青森出身の彫刻家、鈴木正治です。

Another piece by Masaharu Suzuki.

これも鈴木正治作です。

The following pictures may not be suitable for people with an aversion to bugs. These are the bugs you can find living in Aomori Prefecture.

下記の写真は虫嫌いな人に申し訳ないが、青森県で生存してる虫たちです。

Polyporaceae (a type of fungus) found on an oak tree.

ナラの木についていたサルノコシカケ。

Polyporaceae found on a dead beech tree.

ブナの枯木についていたサルノコシカケ。

I walked back to West Exit of Aomori station from the Aomori City Forest Museum.

青森市森林博物館から青森駅西口まで歩いた。

West Exit of Aomori Station. The building was torn down in 2021 to make way for the new station building.

青森駅西口。２０２１年新駅舎が出来たため、この建物が解体された。

I then took the train from Aomori Station and got off at Shin-Aomori station and walked home. I came across a shrine in the midst of its summer festival.

青森駅から奥羽本線に乗って、新青森駅で下車して、家まで歩いて帰った。ある神社の夏祭りに遭遇。

The name of the shrine is Ishie Shinmeigu Shrine. My wife said she and her sister used to enjoy the summer festivals here when they were children. Perhaps a memorable place for her and her sister.

神社の名前は石江神明宮神社。妻が子供のころ、妹と一緒にこの神社の夏祭りを楽しんでたと言ってくれました。思い出の場所の一つかも知りませんね。