Takayama Inari Shrine Observation Deck and the Lake Jusanko Roadside Station "Tosamu" / 高山稲荷神社展望台と十三湖道の駅 「トーサム・グリーン・パーク”」

This is something you might find fascinating. The town of Shariki which is now part of Tsugaru City has a sister city in the U.S. - Bath, Maine. So how does a small town in Hicksville, Aomori Prefecture become connected to a town in Maine? It all goes back to 1889 when an American merchant ship called the Cheseborough was caught in a typhoon and ran aground off the coast of Shariki. The villagers risked their own lives to save the crew. Two young men ran forty miles to the prefectural capital of Aomori to get more help. Out of a crew of 23, 19 died while 4 were saved thanks to the efforts of the villagers. At the observation deck near Takayama Inari Shrine, there is a monument dedicated to those men who perished at sea.

青森県車力村（しゃりきむら）現つがる市に面白い歴史がある。アメリカメイン州バス市が姉妹都市になってる。なぜだ？なぜこんな青森県の田舎町がアメリカと繋がってるの？それは明治２２年（１８８９年（）に起こった事件があったからです。アメリカの船、チェスボロ号が交易のため来航中暴風に台風のせいで車力村に座礁して乗組員２３人のうち１９人が波に呑まれ、残りの４人は車力村の村人が命を懸けて助け出した。他に若者二人が６４キロ離れた青森市まではして助けを求めた。

The observation deck.

展望台。

At first, I was wondering why there was a picture of this ship on the　wall　of　the　observation　deck.　This　is　when　I　first　learned　about　the　Cheseborough　shipwreck.

最初、なぜ壁にこの船の絵があるのかわからなかった。初めてチェスボロ号遭難を知った。

This is the memorial to the 19 lives that were lost at sea. The inscription on the memorial read: "The people who disappeared into the rough seas. The People who survived. The people who rescued by doing their best. Now, there is no one left. Only the bleat of the gulls and the sound of the sea are the same as the past."

これはチェスボロ号遭難慰霊碑です。

A little more detailed history on the Cheseborough Disaster. 

チェスボロ号遭難慰霊碑の説明。

 Another small monument to the two individuals who ran forty miles to the capital of the Prefecture to get help.

車力村から６４キロ離れた青森市まで走った二人の若者の記念碑もありました。

The view from the top of the observation deck. In the background, you can see the Sea of Japan.

展望台からの眺めです。奥にあるのは日本海。

Hey, we spotted some wildlife as we decided to head to the Lake Jusanko Roadside Station.

展望台から十三湖道の駅向かう途中にひつじを発見。

Here we are at the Lake Jusanko Roadside Station [Tosamu]. 

十三湖道の駅「トーサム」。

My wife had been telling me for years about a large slide that's located at this roadside station. I was looking forward to checking it out.

妻とまだ付き合った時代にこの道の駅に超長い滑り台の話をしてたので、結構楽しみにしてました。

But first, it was time for lunch. This was my wife's order - miso ramen and a small seafood bowl. 

その前にランチ。妻が注文したのは味噌ラーメンのミニ海鮮丼。

I ordered the curry with a pork cutlet. 

僕が食べたのはカツカレー。

Here I am at the slide. It's not your regular slide that's for sure. It's a roller slide. You can borrow a plastic board that's provided at the place. You sit on the board and away you go.

滑り台に初挑戦。プラスチックボードを借りて、その上に座りで下まで滑る！

It's a pretty long slide too. 

結構長い滑り台ですよ。

Of course you have to walk back up to the building on the hill. 

あの建物は歩いて戻るしかない。

 Darn, the video clips were too long to fit on this blog.

残念ながら撮った動画のサイズが大きすぎて、載せることが出来ませんでした。

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention I also bought a Takayama Inari Shrine Seal Notebook. 

あっ、言うの忘れたが、高山稲荷神社の御朱印帳も買った。

On our drive back, I spotted this blue demon so I had to check it out. We stopped off at the Kuraokami Shrine in Goshogawara. 

帰り道に青い鬼を発見ちょっと寄り道した。ここは五所川原にある闇龗神社。

Of course I paid my respects here as well. 

もちろんここにも参拝しました。

I’m not sure what the story is about the blue demon but they sure looked cool. 

青い鬼はどういう意味があるのか分かりませんが、結構かっこいい。

A couple of horse statues here too. 

馬の像もあり。

And that was the end of our adventure. 

そして今日の冒険の幕が閉じた。