Man Is a Thinking Reed / Aomori & Hokkaido, Japan

In February, I visited Taiwan as a tour guide for my family trip. Even though the guide work ended up taking only about a half of the entire trip, I deserved a little reward for myself. Since I had already taken time off at work to go to Taiwan, I figured I should plan one-night weekend getaway.

For a Japanese person, a hot spring (onsen in Japanese) is the perfect way to treat yourself. With only two days, it is tempting to go somewhere nearby, but I believe travel is all about seeking an escape from the everyday. I wanted to go somewhere far away.

There is an onsen called Koganezaki Furofushi Onsen on the JR Gono Line in Aomori Prefecture. It is an inn famous for its seaside open-air baths, and I also love the quality of the spring water – it is salty and has a little oil floating on top. Since the Onsen is not crowded in winter, I decided to revisit there.

The number of miles required for a Japan Airlines award ticket fluctuates based on demand; on the other hand, as long as I have enough miles, it is easier to make a reservation. For this trip, I planned to fly to Aomori Airport then take a bus to Hirosaki to catch the Gono Line. On the second day, I planned to take the Gono Line Rapid Service to Shin-Aomori, then take the Shinkansen to Hakodate for a sushi restaurant. From there, I would just take the last flight from Hakodate Airport back to Tokyo. It was just a combination of places I had visited several times before, so I thought there was not much to think about.

I had been constantly changing my travel plans in Taiwan. Since this was a trip rewarding myself to the Taiwan trip, it was probably better if it was not too novel.

When I boarded Hokkaido Shinkansen at Shin-Aomori, it turned out to be a train that stopped at every station to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto. Just going all the way to Hakodate might not be very interesting. Man is a thinking reed. I found myself thinking that it might be a time to think about something.

Once I get like this, I cannot stop myself.

I came up with the idea of taking “Donan Isaribi Railway (South Hokkaido Railway)” from Kikonai Station to Hakodate Station. I checked the timetable on the Shinkansen and found a train with a good connection. Upon the train arriving at Hakodate Station, I would take a bus to the sushi restaurant and arrive right on time for my reservation. Even though it meant wasting a part of the Shinkansen fare, I decided to get off at Kikonai Station. I made that decision just one minute before the Shinkansen arrived at Kikonai.

The Donan Isaribi Railway was a local railroad. I boarded an old Japan National Railway (JNR)-style diesel train, the kind that even JR Hokkaido probably does not use anymore. Even more, a train passed at an intermediate station was painted in JNR’s vermilion color, adding even more charm to the experience.

True to its name, which includes “Isaribi (meaning fishing lights),” I was able to enjoy a leisurely journey on the Donan Isaribi Railway while gazing out at the sea of southern Hokkaido. I regret not buying a beer beforehand even though I had a time to kill before the train departure.

By shifting my perspective just a little, I made a new discovery. Just because it was a reward trip to myself, I should not make it by inertia. After all, man is a thinking reed.

COLO’s Traveler Guide: Koganezaki Furofushi Onsen & Hakodate

The times listed are based on the schedule at the time of my visit.

Day 1

Tokyo Haneda 07:15 (JAL141) > Aomori 08:35
Aomori Airport 09:00 (Konan Bus) > Hirosaki Station 09:54
Hirosaki 10:21 (JR Gono Line) > Fukaura 12:44

Lunch: Sailing

Fukaura 14:42 (JR Gono Line) > WeSpa Tsubakiyama 14:57

Accommodation: Koganezaki Furofushi Onsen

Day 2

WeSpa Tsubakiyama 10:38 (Resort Shirakami 1) > Shin-Aomori 13:27
New Aomori 13:59 (Hayabusa 17) > Kikonai 14:49
Kikonai 15:19 (Donan Isaribi Railway) > Hakodate 16:22

Dinner: Kihara

Hakodate 19:30 (JAL588) > Tokyo Haneda 21:00