Fujisaki Swan Breeding Ground / 藤崎町白鳥飛来地

On the weekend of the Aomori Winter Festival, my wife and I decided to have lunch in Goshogawara. But before heading to the restaurant, we decided to see the swans at their breeding ground in Fujisaki Town.

青森冬祭りの週末、僕と妻は五所川原までランチを食べに行くことを決めてたんの。でもせっかくの休日なので、藤崎町にある白鳥飛来地に行ってきました。

You can see Mount Iwaki in the background.

後ろのほうに岩木山が見える。

Curious swan.

カメラ目線の白鳥。

Check out the swan on the right.

右側にいる白鳥見て。

Mount Iwaki / 岩木山

Look left.

左見て。

Look straight.

まっすぐ見て。

Look right.

右見て。

Hello duck!

こんにちはダック！

We found watching the swans to be quite healing.

白鳥を見るだけで癒された私たち。

Duckling chaser.

アヒルを追う白鳥。

Me and the swans.

僕と白鳥。

Aomori Winter Festival 2019 / 青森冬祭り ２０１９年

A couple of weeks ago as I was getting off work, an event was being held nearby. It was the Aomori Winter Festival and I was able to catch one of the main events of Saturday. I caught the motsuke competition. Motsuke means "enthusiasm" or "enthusiastic" in the Tsugaru dialect. It's just a tug-o-war competition. But the people participating are dressed in fundoshi (loincloths) in the middle of winter. Even the woman emcee was dressed in summer clothing! I was wearing my down jacket and I was still damn cold!!

２週間ほど前、仕事を終わったら近くになんかのイベントが開催してた。それが青森冬祭り。丁度その時間に”もつけ大会”がありました。”もつけ”とは、津軽弁で”熱中する人”。見てたら単なる綱引きじゃないかと思ったが、でもいろんなチームの格好を見たら、なるほど。ほぼ男たちのチームでふんどし姿で戦う。自分はダウンジャケットを着ながら、それでも超寒かった。女性の司会者も夏の格好してた！

Only in snow country would they have a competition like this.

やっぱり雪国って凄いなと思った。

There is the female judge and emcee dressed as if it were summer.

はい、女性の司会者も男どもと負けずに、夏の格好でやってます。

I would say these guys are freezing their nuts off!

どう見ても、寒すぎり！

This team was a group of foreigners who are all English teachers. No, I did not join the team!

このチームは外国人の選手たち。全員英語の講師をやってる人。いえ、私は参加してませんよ！

You could check out the results in the Nebuta House Warasse building. 

大会の結果はねぶたハウス「ワ・ラッセ」の中で確認出来る。

Soba Shop [Kogintei] / そば処 「小巾亭」

Kogintei / 小巾亭

The entrance / 入口

Last Monday, my wife was in a mood for soba for lunch. So we went to a soba shop called [Kogintei]. There are two branches that I know of in Aomori City. The one located at the West Bypass is very near our home, about a five to ten minute drive. The last time we went, the place was so crowded that we decided to go to another soba shop instead. Today being Monday and all, it was not as crowded and we were seated immediately. My wife and I usually order the same dish when we come here - the tenzaru (tempura zaru soba). I decided to try something different today. There was a special limited item on a separate menu called "Ofukuro Set" which means "Mom's Set". It includes two riceballs, one made with shiso (also known as perilla or beefsteak plant) and not sure what the other flavor was. The soba, you could choose hot or cold. and what sold me - the light and fluffy dashi maki tamagoyaki (seasoned eggroll). The set is only 800yen and only a limited number is available each day. My wife also decided to order something different today and chose the kaisendon (seafood bowl). 

前日の月曜日、自分の妻が蕎麦を食べたいと言い出して、うちの近くにあるそば屋「小巾亭」に行きました。前に行ったときは凄い混んでて、別のそば屋に行きました。今日は月曜日だったし、全然混んで泣いくて、店に入ったらすぐ席に案内してくれた。私たちがこの店に来ると大体同じメニューのものを注文する。それが天ざる。今日、限定２０食の目メニューアイテムが目に入り気になった。それが”おふくろセット”。おふくろセットはおにぎり２個、蕎麦（温かいか冷たいの選べる）、と僕が一番美味しそうに見えたのはは大きなだし巻き卵焼き。妻も今日は天ざるじゃなくて、蕎麦付の海鮮丼。

The restaurant is quite spacious. You could request a table or a tatami room table. We chose to sit at a table.

店内は結構広い。テーブルか座敷の席が選べます。私たちはテーブル席をお願いした。

This was my wife's order. Decent volume for the price. It was a little over 1000yen. 

妻のランチ。１１００円くらいだったかな。ボリューム満点ですよ。

The kaisendon topped with salmon, maguro, shrimp, salmon roe, scallop, and an egg roll.

海鮮丼に乗ってるのはマグロ、サーモン、イクラ、エビ、帆立と玉子焼き。

This is the "Mom's Set". Maybe a little too much carbs with the rice and soba but all of it was so good!

これが”おふくろセット”。炭水化物ちょっと多いかも知りませんが、とっても美味しかった。

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！