Shifting Perspective / Akita Prefecture

I decided to go to a hot spring (onsen in Japanese) with my mother in early spring. It was decided right after visiting Koganezaki Furofushi Onsen, and what I learned from the trip was that new discoveries were made by shifting my perspective.

If I was going to shift my perspective, I suppose I should look for an onsen I have never been to. However, my primary concern is living a comfortable life. That is why I heavily rotate among the same four bars, as well, keep going to the same restaurants repeatedly. I am not good at exploring new places.

It is also the case for onsen. Unless there is a specific interest, I do not stay at onsen I am unfamiliar with. In the end, I decided to go to Goshougake Onsen just as I do almost every year. Usually, I fly from Tokyo Haneda to Odate-Noshiro on All Nippon Airways (ANA) and return to Tokyo using Akita Nairiku Line and Akita Shinkansen. However, it already seemed just too predictable. If I shifted my perspective a bit, I could discover something new.

While avoiding any fundamental changes, I would try altering just the surface. I convinced myself that was the very essence of “shifting one’s perspective.”

I recalled how beautiful the sunset was when I was on Limited Express Inaho last summer. I decided to head from Odate to Akita and take the limited express departing Akita in the evening. Since sunset time was different from summer, I should be able to enjoy a different landscape. The weather on the Sea of Japan coast in late winter was likely to be unfavorable, but gazing out at the gloomy, leaden winter sea would not be so bad.

What used to be a trip that completed within Akita Prefecture became a journey that passed through Yamagata Prefecture and headed all the way to Niigata. With a change this significant, I could say I had sufficiently shifted my perspective.

Upon arriving at Odate-Noshiro Airport, I hopped on a bus and thought about whether to head to Hanazen Restaurant in front of Odate Station for their famous chicken rice or to a Hinai-chicken restaurant in downtown Odate.

It was unfortunate that the Hinai-chicken restaurant was closed due to relocation. Last time, I mistakenly believed it was the closing day due to incorrect information on Google Map. I had missed visiting the restaurant twice in a row. On the other hand, Hanazen was running a promotion. While the prices were lower, they seemed to prioritize high turnover, so the menu was limited and I could not even have a beer.

Feeling a bit unsatisfied, I headed to Goshougake Onsen. Winter was about to end in Odate, but the mountains were in the midst of a blizzard. I believe I should visit cold places in winter, so this was not so bad after all.

By the next morning, the weather had cleared up. I took the Onsen’s shuttle bus to Kazuno-Hanawa Station but found that JR Hanawa Line was suspended operation due to the heavy snow overnight. This trip certainly was not going as planned.

Yet, I took the express bus to Odate and then took a JR train to Akita Station. Just as the Limited Express Inaho was about to depart from Akita Station, the sky cleared completely. It was time to make up for this trip that had not gone as planned.

Shortly after leaving Akita Station, the train ran along the coast. I was able to enjoy the beautiful sunset over the Sea of Japan. Moreover, view of Mt Chokai was stunning before the snow had melted and it was cherry blossom season in southern Akita. I enjoyed an almost perfect view from the train window, but there was just one problem. During the crucial time around sunset, so-called “magic hour,” the train was running through the inland area of Sakata City for most of that time.

I suppose just shifting my perspective does not necessarily make everything better.

COLO’s Traveler Guide: Akita Prefecture

Times listed are the based on the timetable at the time of visit.

Day 1

Tokyo Haneda 09:00 (ANA719) > Odate-Noshiro 10:10
Odate-Noshiro Airport 10:25 (Bus) > Odate Station 11:18

Lunch: Hanazen

Odate 13:33 (JR Hanawa Line) > Kazuno-Hanawa 14:28

Accommodation: Goshougake Onsen

Day 2

Kazuno-Hanawa 11:24 (Express Bus) > Odate City 12:12

Lunch: Mukashi no Kiritanpo-ya

Odate 13:55 (Super Tsugaru 2) > Akita 15:12
Akita 16:48 (Inaho 14) > Niigata 20:22
Niigata 20:31 (Toki 344) > Omiya 22:03