Purchasing additional Seishun 18 Tickets, making a detour to Kabushima, and heading south to Morioka【23】
Day 6【2014/8/24】
Hokkaido→Aomori→Iwate
The second morning in Hakodate greeted us with clear skies.
It feels good to bask in the morning sun at the quiet early morning guesthouse (Yachigashira Guesthouse).
We return to Hakodate Station by tram.
The only prefecture where we stayed for more than three days was Hokkaido, and yet, we couldn't cover it all...
Staying in the same place for more than three days was one of my criteria. It's probably the only rule in this almost unplanned journey. I was whimsically imitating this from a novel called "Kino's Journey." I'd like to write about this book in a blog someday.
We strolled around Hakodate Station in the morning while waiting for the train.
Realizing that we had used up one Seishun 18 Ticket, we purchased two more at Hakodate Station.
Each Seishun 18 Ticket allows five rides. You get a stamp at the station you board on the day you use it. After that, you just show the stamp to the station staff at the gate for boarding and alighting.
Just like when we arrived, we went to a coin laundry near Goryokaku Station, and then headed straight to Kikonai Station.
We had some time before the transfer, so we strolled around the station area, but there was nothing much.
From here, we boarded the express train again and returned to Kanita Station.
We had some time at Kanita Station too, so we spent about an hour gazing at the sea.
When we went to Aomori Station from Kanita, we discovered a building we hadn't noticed a few days ago.
We used the Aoimori Railway from Aomori to the next station. Although Aoimori Railway is not JR, you can ride it with a Seishun 18 Ticket within a specific section.
"Hachinohe Station"
It's a grand station, but there wasn't much of interest around.
We had planned to go to Morioka on this day, but since there wouldn't be much to do even if we arrived early, we decided to take a detour for sightseeing.
Enjoying the refreshing breeze from the window as before, we headed towards Same Station.
A few minutes walk from Same Station takes you to Kabushima.
This place is famous as a breeding ground for black-tailed gulls. Although it wasn't the season, there were a few tourists.
We didn't have more than 15 minutes to stay, but it was enough for sightseeing.
It's said that being pooped on by a black-tailed gull here brings good luck.
We returned to Hachinohe and headed to Morioka Station.
It was a much larger station than we thought. The area in front of the station was moderately prosperous, befitting a prefectural capital.
We stayed at a business hotel called HOTEL NEW CARINA on this day.
It was a great deal at 3000 yen for this quality. We were able to refresh ourselves and our shoes with the room service shoe dryer.
Stopping stations: Yachigashira→Hakodate→Goryokaku→Kikonai→Kanita→Aomori→Hachinohe→Same→Hachinohe→Meji→Morioka
Total ride time: 405 minutes
