Misawa Air Festival 2015 Part 1

Woke up super early in the morning to attend Misawa Air Festival, my parents in law came down as well. Quite dumb folded  when i saw the never ending queue, and it really seems like we can never get in.  This year even Australia military planes came and joined the display and many new models that I had not seen before. But that was not our main aim, S was aiming to buy all the military coins and badges before all was sold out.  

right hand was the queue and left hand was walking all the way to end of street to join the queue. 

rushing off to take pictures while he was queuing

ended up going to various stalls to buy food since i was hungry 

Mount Osore (恐山) Part 2

Entrance fee to the temple cost 500 yen and it is closed from November to April. The scenery and atmosphere is very contrasting, very serene scenery with beautiful clear water and mountains surrounding the lake and yet you can smell the strong sulphur with all the statues of Jizo and all the stones, windmills written with deceased names piling around them. I wonder those souls that rest here, will there be brought into the next life or continue to stay here forever.

another jizo statue

I was wondering what are those wooden blocks were, some were written with names, some were not.

Those with names turned out to be monks that passed away.

at the side of the temple entrance

went for lunch

meat so so but alot vegetables 

kawauchi shrine in mutsu, the friendly high tech priest that spent long time explaining to us the history (for S's research paper) and he often posted on facebook! 

Mount Osore (恐山) Part 1

Drove up all the way to Mt. Osore which is famous for being gateway for deceased (one of the sacred places in Japan) and the location for the famous Bodaiji Temple. The mountain is still an active volcano and you can smell and see sulphur around it. 

According to Japan-guide website, "Osorezan is known as entrance to afterlife, because it features geographical elements similar to descriptions of Buddhist hell and paradise, including eight surrounding peaks and a river, Sanzu no Kawa, which has to be crossed by all dead souls on their way to afterlife and is often compared to the River Styx of ancient Greek mythology". 

the 2 demons before the bridge to determine the deceased karma

Sanzu no Kawa (we don't dare to cross haha!)

super clear water but deadly, sulphur smell was very strong. No sign of life

entrance to the temple

the windmill each written with name of the deceased and placed by the visitors

all grey and barren 

Hirosaki castle reconstruction

After the trip at Mt. Iwaki, went to Hirosaki to take a look how they are repairing the castle. The project required them to shift the castle to other location so they can repair the base of the castle. It will take 6 years for them to finish the restoration project. Very impressive! Although it looks normal when you view the works but actually they are shifting the castle few inches every day.  

Next morning we departed my mother in law house early in the morning to visit other shrines on his list. 

New Starbucks in historical site

don't wish to pay to enter lol

see i told u! they are shifting the whole castle!

kawauchi shrine

tanabu shrine in mutsu

Mt. Iwaki Part 2

After the visit at the shrine, we continued to drove up to visit the peak of the mountain. It was a scary and spinning way both up and down! You would have to pay 1650 yen (forgot the amount) just to drive in to visit the peak. It is called "Tsugaru Iwaki Skyline" leads to 8th station of the mountain, which is located about 1,240 meters high. The zigzag road  has 69 curves on the route that they even had small sign to tell you how many curves are currently at. I was getting dizzy half way up. Once we reached, i realised that was not the peak, you still have to board the cable line up  (chargeable of course). 

Coming here, you certainly have to try their corns and apples! The corn fields and apples farm are everywhere! Many visitors were queuing to buy the corns including us. Super sweet!

the way to peak if you dare to sit and pay another 800yen 

the view from the 8th station

thats the zigzag road we drove up, no joke!

corn time!

either roasted or steamed

considered cheap for the amount! 8 for 1000 yen

3 sizes of corn 

cornfield!

another shrine but don't remember the name

apple farm

yet another shrine

most of the trees in the shrine area are protected and it looks like it hundreds years of history