Shiko Munakata Memorial Museum / 棟方志功記念館

When are friends were visiting Aomori for Golden Week two years ago, after our cherry blossom viewing we went to a very local museum. We checked out the Shiko Munakata Memorial Museum. Shiko Munakata was a woodblock printer and was born here in Aomori City.

友達が２０１７年のゴールデンウィーク青森に来てたんで、花見のあとは超ローカルのミュージアムに行ってきました。行ってのは棟方志功記念館。棟方志功は青森県青森市生まれの版画家。

There was a special exhibition when we went.

行ったときは丁度「棟方志功の風景」が開催中でした。

This sign shows a map of where you can spot his art. 

棟方志功のマップが載ってます。

The museum is this very nice building.

この建物が棟方志功記念館です。

Cherry blossoms in bloom here too.

桜が咲いたて。

A small rock garden.

小さな石庭。

Pictures were not allowed inside the building but to see what his artwork looks like, check out the pictures below.

館内の写真撮影は禁じらてるので、彼のアートはどういう感じか、下記の写真をご覧になってください。

It was still a nice day, so we decided to go to this popular shake shop that has over one hundred flavors on its menu.

まだ晴れてたので、人気のシェイクの店に行ってきました。その店のメニューに百以上のシェイクの味が書いてある。

This is the shop that has over one hundred flavors of shakes on its menu.

ここがあの人気のシェイクショップ。

The island is Yu-no-shima. It is a nature park which is only open to the public for a limited time in April.

写ってるのは湯の島。毎年４月にカタクリ祭りが開催して、その時期のみその島に行ける。

We also made a short trip to the Hotate Hiroba. A place where they sell scallops.

近くにあるホタテ広場も寄りました。

You can actually buy and try a scallop flavored ice cream here. We just had our shakes so we didn't buy them this time around but I have tried it on a previous occasion. It wasn't bad.

ホタテ広場でホタテアイスも食べれる。今回はシェイクを飲んだばっかりなので、買いませんでした。でも僕は食べたことある。結構イケルよ。

Cherry Blossom Viewing 2017 in Gappo Park / 花見 ２０１７年 合邦公園

Going back to Golden Week two years ago in 2017. Our friends Yukio and Reiko were in town and we decided to have to to Gappo Park for cherry blossom viewing.

また２年前の２０１７年のゴールデンウィーク。千葉から青森に来た友達、幸男と玲子と一緒に合邦公園で花見をしました。

A huge cedar tree called the Miyo Cedar.

大きな松の木。ミ善の松と呼ばれてる。

The tree is about 9 meters tall and has a circumference of 26 meters and is over 400 years old.

Yukio is also from Aomori, he said I had to eat the chicken from this food booth. As you can see, this is a very popular booth.

幸男も青森出身で、合邦公園で花見をしたら、必ずこの屋台の鳥のからあげを食べるべきと言われた。見ての通り、行列が出来て、大人気です。

Here's the reason for its popularity. They're huge and they're delicious.

これが屋台の行列の理由だ。からあげが超デッカイ。そして美味しい。

What is cherry blossom viewing without alcohol?

花見に吹かせないものと言えば酒でしょう。

Some other food we bought.

ほかのおつまみ。

Of course we took the time to view the cherry blossoms.

もちろん花見をしましたよ。桜が綺麗。

Gappo Park is also located along the shores of Mutsu Bay.

合邦公園は陸奥湾に面してます。

This is a park after all.

公園なので。

Maybe someone can make a haiku about the person sitting next to the cherry blossom tree.

誰かこの写真を見ながら一句を作れるかな？

Editing out the stranger by taking the picture from a different angle.

別の角度で写真を撮り、見知らぬ人を映らない様にしました。

I spotted this guy nearby as well.

こいつも近くで発見した。

After having a few drinks and eating some snacks, we decided to check out another local museum, but I will talk about that on my next post.

酒を飲んで、美味しいものを食べて、その後はまた青森にある小さな記念館に行ってきました。それはまた次回話します。

Hatsumode (First Shrine Visit) 2019 Utou Shrine / 初詣 ２０１９年 善知鳥神社

Happy New Year to one and all. My wife and I, along with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law went to Utou Shrine for our first shrine visit this year.

新年明けましたおめでとうございます。今年も宜しくお願い致します。本年の初詣は青森市にある善知鳥神社に参拝しました。

However, I spent most of New Year's holidays snow shoveling!

今年の正月休みはほとんど雪かきに覆われました！

After parking the car and walking to the shrine, I came upon this sign.

車を駐車して、神社を目指す途中にこういうサインに出会った。

And here we are at the entrance to Utou Shrine. That is my wife standing in front of the torii (red gate).

善知鳥神社に到着。鳥居の前に立てるのは僕の妻です。

The path leading to the main shrine is called the sando.

本堂への参道。

The temizuya or chozuya - a hand purification basin.

善知鳥神社の手水舎。

Hondo / 本堂

A smaller building where mikoshi or portable shrines are stored.

神輿を保管する建物。

Prayer boards / 絵馬

My wife gave me money to buy a fortune and this is what I got. My fortune for this year looks like it's cursed. My mother-in-law said since you didn't spend your own money, you should draw another fortune. So I did and ended up with the same "cursed" fortune!

妻がお神籤のために百円を僕にあげて、凶でした。義理の母が自分のお金で使ってないから、もう一度自分の金を使って、弾いてみて。そしてら、また凶でした！！

One of the smaller surrounding shrines.

境内に別の神社。

This was my first time coming to Utou Shrine in the winter so it's also the first time I've seen this lake frozen over.

真冬の善知鳥神社は初めてなので、池も凍ってるのも初めてだ。

Hard to imagine you're in the middle of the city when you come upon scenery like this.

こういう景色見ると街の真ん中にいるのを忘れちゃいますね。

The rock in the pond is actually a stone statue of a turtle.

池にある岩は亀の像です。

And then it was off to lunch and back home.

そして昼食を食べて、家に帰った。