2 Day 1 Night Model Course to Enjoy Nature and Gourmet Food in the Eastern Shimokita Peninsula, Aomori Prefecture 【Travel in Search of the Best in the Northernmost Part of Honshu】 【Travel in Search of the Best in the Northernmost Part of Honshu

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Aomori Prefecture, Shimokita Peninsula, Aomori Prefecture, Japan.

Mutsu City, Higashidori Village, Yokohama Town

The area along Mutsu Bay in the northernmost part of Honshu, Aomori Prefecture, offers spectacular views of the coastline and a wide variety of delicious food, including seafood.
We are now introducing a trip to the northernmost part of Honshu to find your own "best" attraction along Mutsu Bay as "A Journey to Find the Best in the Northernmost Part of Honshu!
This time, we will introduce four model courses for two days and one night, including both well-known places of interest and areas that will be the focus of much attention in the future.
The model courses use public transportation such as trains and buses as much as possible, and are also helpful for those who are not comfortable driving a rental car. (*Taxis will be used in some cases.)

This article, the second course, introduces a model course that focuses on the more eastern area of the Shimokita Peninsula, located on the eastern side of Aomori Prefecture. This course allows you to fully enjoy Aomori's natural beauty, including the ocean, mountains, and rivers, as well as gourmet foods made from local specialties.

2-day/1-night model course around the eastern area of Shimokita Peninsula (Mutsu City, Higashidori Village, Yokohama Town)

2-day/1-night model course centered on the eastern area of Shimokita Peninsula

10：50 Arrive at Mutsu Yokohama Station with its cute station building

Inside Mutsu Yokohama Station
Found a place where you can see the rape blossoms-colored outer wall!
The train ride arrived at Mutsu Yokohama Station on the JR Ominato Line. The outer wall is colored in rape blossoms to match the town of Yokohama, which is famous for its rape blossoms, which is cute! Unfortunately, the station was undergoing improvement work at the time of the interview, but the yellow and red benches were cute and retro-looking, and I couldn't resist the urge to take some pictures, so I took a stroll around!

At this small, cute, and unmanned station, it would be nice to take a picture with the retro Ominato Line train when you get off at the platform. You can take pictures with a travel feel.

11：00 Enjoy rape blossoms at Tichi no Eki Yokoha Roadside Station!

Nanohana soft and nanohana doughnuts are also pretty colors!
Menchikatsu burgers were sold out that day...
Roadside Station Yokohama has a "Nanohana Plaza" that sells sweets, processed goods, and local specialties made from nanohana (rape blossoms and nabana), and a "Senna" restaurant that serves scallop rice bowls and mixed fried scallop set menus using scallops caught in Yokohama Town.
The popular "Nanohana (rape blossom) soft-serve ice cream" and "Nanohana donuts" at "Nanohana Plaza" are must-try items when you come to Yokohama Town!
Both have a gentle taste with an elegant sweetness.

There are many other processed products of nanohana and nabana, such as nanohana melon bread, tempura rice crackers with rapeseed, nanohana cookies, and many more. You can feel the potential of rapeseed blossoms. There are also popular fried scallops and rice balls to take home, and menchikatsu burgers made with locally produced pork, so find your favorite souvenir!â

Roadside Station Yokohama Information

Opening days
April 1-December 30: Open all year (closed on New Year's Eve, December 31, and New Year's Day, January 1)
January 2-March 31: Closed every Tuesday (if Tuesday is a national holiday, closed the following Wednesday)

Product Center "Nanohana Plaza" hours
April 1-October 31: 8:30-18:00
November 1-March 31: 9:00- 17:30

Restaurant "Senna" business hours
April 1 - October 31 11:00 - 17:00 (last order: 16:30)
November 1 - March 31 11:00 - 15:00 (last order: 14:30)

12：10 Healing time at Yokohama Hachiman Shrine

Lanterns are lit, creating a gentle atmosphere on the approach to the temple.
A powerful dragon god painted on the ceiling!
Yokohama Town is famous for its rape blossoms, but here are some recommended spots even outside of the rape blossom season.

About 2 km north of Michi no Eki Yokohama is Yokohama Hachiman Shrine. The shrine was established by the Minamoto clan in the Heian period (794-1185). The approach to the main shrine is cool and solemn, as if the air has changed. It is also a nice feature that visitors can visit the shrine inside the hall of worship.
The dragon god depicted on the ceiling of the hall of worship is powerful yet delicate.
If you clap your hands while thinking of your wish or request under the dragon god, the sound will echo when your wish comes true.

Inside the hall of worship, there is a free "gozamori" (charm) and "goshio" (salt) for purification, which shows the thoughtfulness of the shrine. Omikuji (fortune) and ema (votive picture tablet) are also available in the shrine, and when I drew a omikuji to pray for the success of my trip, it turned out to be a very good omikuji!
It was a very nice shrine that I would like to visit again, with both a warm welcoming atmosphere and a sacred atmosphere.
After visiting the shrine, we received a good luck charm and salt!

Check this article for recommendations in the Yokohama Town area!

14：20 Okuyaku Kensukei Koen Rest House

Kaikyo salmon bowl
An open-air bath with a mountain stream flowing in front of you.
After taking a train and a cab, we arrived at the Okuyaku Kenshukei Park Rest House, located in a hiba forest.
Surrounded by forest and marked by a log house, the rest house, restaurant, store, hot spring, and footbath are a must stop when exploring the Yakken Stream.

Of particular note is the bowl of rice topped with Ohata's famous "Kaikyo Salmon" served at the restaurant. Kaikyo Salmon" is a large rainbow trout (Donaldson's trout) farmed in the rough seas of the Tsugaru Straits. The meat is firm, filling, and full of flavor. With this Kaikyo Salmon Donburi, you can directly enjoy the deliciousness of Kaikyo salmon.

Another notable feature is the open-air bath "Couple Kappa no Yu" located along the mountain stream. There are no indoor baths or showers, but you can enjoy a relaxing soak in the hot spring while feeling the murmuring of the river in front of you and the tranquility of the forest. Whether it is the season of lush greenery or the season of autumn leaves, the view spreading out before you will make you forget the passage of time and take a long hot spring bath.
Nearby is the "Kappa no Yu" (original Kappa's hot spring), where a kappa legend says that when a person was seriously injured, a kappa appeared, and when he realized it, he was taken into an open-air bath and his injuries were cured. It is good to compare hot spring baths♪

Okuyaku Kenshukei Park Rest House Information

Hours of Operation
April 1 - April 30 9:00-17:00
May 1 - August 31 9:00-18:00
September 1 - October 31 9:00-17:00
November 1 - March 31 10:00-17:00
Closed
December 29 - January 3 and every Tuesday from November to April

17：45 Dinner will be "Misoka-yaki", a local dish of Aomori Prefecture.

Ingredients of Miso Shellfish Grill vary from store to store!
For dinner, we will have Miso Kaibayaki, a local dish of the Shimokita Peninsula, cooked on the shell of a scallop. It is also called "shellfish miso" in the Tsugaru region and has been eaten in Aomori Prefecture since the Edo period. The dish is made by using a scallop shell as a vessel and cooking it over a fire, which is very pleasing to the eye. Many people in Shimokita Peninsula have their own scallop shells to make this "Miso Kaibayaki" at home.

At the restaurant we visited this time, the scallop shells were served in a bowl with broth and ingredients, and once they were cooked, an egg was beaten in and served as desired. The ingredients included seafood such as scallops and shrimp, vegetables such as green onions, mushrooms, tofu, and a variety of other ingredients! The eggs, which absorb the flavor of the soup stock and ingredients, are also delicious.
The ingredients used vary from restaurant to restaurant, and it is fun to find the one you like best.

19：30 Overnight stay at a hotel in Mutsu City, a convenient base for sightseeing.

Hotel Unisite Mutsu exterior
Lodging is at Hotel Unisite Mutsu, located in downtown Mutsu. It is a 10-minute drive from Shimokita Station and a 5-minute walk from the bus stop "Mutsu," which serves as a base for bus transportation in the Shimokita area, making it a convenient base for sightseeing, and there are many restaurants nearby where you can enjoy miso clams and other seafood.
Breakfast is a Japanese/Western buffet, where you can enjoy dishes and ingredients unique to Aomori Prefecture, such as scallop rice with scallops and soup stock. There are so many different types of dishes that you might end up overeating... This time, I chose to focus on vegetables to keep the menu balanced during my trip!
Breakfast buffet at Hotel Unisite Mutsu

10：00 Take a convenient Gururin Taxi today

Higashidori Village, which we will visit on this day, will be served by "Gururin Taxi" provided by Shimokita TABI Asisto. It is a convenient chartered cab that will take you around the Shimokita Peninsula area for sightseeing and dining according to your own plans.
The taxi will depart from a hotel in Mutsu City and return to Shimokita Station after sightseeing in various areas. 8-hour, 6-hour, and 3-hour plans are available, but we will use the 6-hour plan to suit our schedule. Please check the official website for more details about the boarding and disembarking locations and service hours. Reservations are required in advance, but you can also make reservations on the web.
For more information about Gururin Taxi, please visit

10：40 Shiriyasaki Lighthouse and Shiriyasaki Pasture

Near the Shiriyazaki Lighthouse, where the sea breeze feels good
Horses in the distance...
We visited Shiriyazaki in Higashidori Village, located in the northeastern part of the Shimokita Peninsula! The Shiriyazaki Lighthouse is one of only 16 lighthouses in Japan that can be climbed. The area around the lighthouse is pleasantly cool with the sea breeze, and when you look around, the ocean is almost in your field of vision! The feeling of being surrounded by the sea is refreshing.

On the way to the Shiriyasaki Lighthouse, you will see the Shiriyasaki Pasture where the "Koratatema" horses live. These horses have a sturdy physique that gives the impression of being stout, and they are said to be able to withstand the harsh winters of Aomori.
When we arrived at the pasture, we saw two horses in the distance! At that time, I was too far away to get a good look at the features of the cold-horse, but I was healed just by watching the two horses relaxing.

It is said that even if you see a cold-horse or other animals in the vicinity of a fence, it is best to watch them quietly and not try to forcefully touch them.
You may be lucky if you see one! Please try to find them!

11：30 Enjoy the rare Higashidori Kuroge Wagyu beef at Kaikyo Shokudo Zen

The restaurant's large windows overlook the ocean!
Higashidori Kuroge Wagyu Beef Grill Set Meal can be grilled by yourself!
We visited "Kaikyo Shokudo Zen" for lunch. The restaurant is famous for its set menus and bowls of rice topped with fresh seafood, which look delicious, but what you must try here is the menu using Higashidori Kuroge Wagyu beef raised in Higashidori Village. On this day, I had the "Higashidori Kuroge Wagyu Beef Grilled Set Meal" and the "Higashidori Kuroge Wagyu Beef Belly Grilled Set Meal.
Higashidori Kuroge Wagyu is tender and full of flavor, which makes you happy. You can also compare the different tare (sauce) and shio (salt). The beef belly is fatty, but the fat is sweet and delicious!

The back room of the restaurant has a large window with the ocean in front of it, a perfect location! Binoculars were also provided, and we were talking about what land we could see in the distance. We were talking about it, and it didn't take long for our food to arrive.
When you come to Shimokita Peninsula, there are many places that serve delicious seafood, but I also recommend the precious Higashidori Kuroge Wagyu beef!

12：30 Enjoy an after-dinner dessert at Nogogawa Rest House!

Blueberry soft and soft berry cup
Another recommended spot in Higashidori Village is the Noegawa Rest House. We had soft-serve ice cream made with blueberries served here for dessert. The soft-serve ice cream has a sweetness of milk accented with blueberries, and is easy to eat! The soft berry cups are seasonal (usually from around May to October), so if you can buy both, I recommend comparing them!

At the Noyugawa Rest House, you can also get small packs of Higashidori beef and seafood from various fishery cooperatives. The most popular items are "High-grade Japanese black beef beef jerky" and "Salami from Higashidori Village.
The "Beefsteak Jerky" is so moist, tender, and full of flavor that it is hard to stop eating. If you find it on sale, please buy it!

Check this article for recommendations in the Higashidori Village area!

14:00 Go to the Kamagariyama Observatory for a great view.

You can climb up to the roof of the Kamagasan Observatory.
Mutsu Bay and Mutsu City can be seen clearly!
Returning to Mutsu City, we went to "Kamagariyama Observatory. Selected as one of the 100 best night views in Japan, the "Kamagariyama Observatory," also known as the "swallowtail butterfly of light" at night, offers a romantic night view, as well as an outstanding daytime view. Mutsu Bay can be seen on one side, and Lake Uzoriyama, surrounded by the mountains of the Shimokita Peninsula, can be seen on the other side, and on a clear day, as far as Hokkaido. The Shimokita Peninsula, said to resemble the shape of a masakari, can be seen all around.
Telescopes are also available free of charge, so time will fly by as you look around the city of Mutsu.
If you want to enjoy the view from a higher altitude, take a 15-minute walk along the promenade! If you want to enjoy the view from a higher altitude, you can go up the promenade for about 15 minutes to the top of the mountain (878m above sea level).

16：00 Last minute shopping at Masakari Plaza Shimokita Ekimae Store!

After getting off the Gururin Taxi and before boarding the train, you can go shopping at "Masakari Plaza Shimokita Ekimae Store" right in front of Shimokita Station.
This is a store where you can buy souvenirs unique to the Shimokita Peninsula. Please check our previous article for more details!

Check this article for information on Masakari Plaza Shimokita Ekimae Branch!

Check this article for recommendations in the Mutsu City area!

Let's enjoy healing and gourmet food in Shimokita Peninsula!

The Shimokita Peninsula is an area with many unique natural landforms and other features as the "Shimokita Geopark." In this article, we have introduced some of the best places to see, eat, and heal. We hope you will visit Shimokita Geopark and experience the spectacular scenery that will make you think, "This is the best! I hope you will visit the island and experience the spectacular scenery and enjoy the exquisite cuisine that will make you think, "This is the best! and enjoy the exquisite gourmet food!
Please note that some of the areas introduced here can be connected by bus, but some require a rental car or cab.

We plan to introduce four model courses. Please look forward to other model courses!
The contents and services in this article are subject to change.
All images are for reference only.
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