Itayanagi
Itayanagi (板柳) is a town in the Tsugaru peninsula of Aomori prefecture, Japan.
Get in
[edit]The JR Gono Line (五能線) from Hirosaki to Higashi-noshiro passes through Itayanagi. If you get the "Shiteiseki" (reserved seating) train, you can travel there in class while a little video expounds upon each small town's chosen town symbol and/or product. Itayanagi's is the apple, which is lucky for you, because it is much harder to come up with swan or crane-themed baked goods. Watch for the (supposedly) apple-shaped streetlights on the main street.
Get around
[edit]Walk it, or buy a bike and explore the whole region. The train comes rarely but regularly - once every two hours or so. To get to Aomori, you'll have to endure a half-hour transfer at Kawabe station.
See
[edit]- Furusato Center (ふるさとセンター) is the collective name for the town's facilities near the station - small museum on apples, farm and greenhouse, park with a pond, restaurant and even onsen and cottages. A short apple-themed trail, which is lovely, and might provide an hour or two's amusement if taken slowly, runs from the town hall to the Ringo Work center, where it ends at a fish pond. A vending machine sells fish food. On warm weekends, the park is often filled with children racing little carts, which are available for rent there (\100/3 min). A town theme chimes at 06:00, 12:00, and 20:00, much to the chagrin of light sleepers and the great amusement of anyone who has played Animal Crossing.
Do
[edit]- Itayanagi Chapel (板柳チャペル). Christian chapel, with a cafe and Christianity-related bookstore.
Buy
[edit]- Max Valu (マックスバリュ板柳店). A supermarket on the big 339 (there are two 339s that run through town. The big 339 is sometimes called the bypass.) Not a huge selection, but they do sell fresh cilantro, if that tells you anything.
- Itoku (いとく). The other supermarket. Also on the big 339, a little further towards the Fujisaki side, it tends to have fresher vegetables, and has a small bakery attached to it. It also tends to have cheaper sashimi. Closes at 23:00. You can get good deals on meats and breads after 20:00 or so every evening.
- Saisaikan (彩菜館). On the same street as the train station. Here, local vegetables are sold year-round (predictably smaller selection in winter). Much cheaper than the supermarket, and fun to shop in. Just up the street is another vegetable stand - less local and a little more expensive, but with a better selection.
Eat
[edit]- Ringo Work. The slightly unnervingly Beatles-referencey name given to the town's restaurant as one of the Furusato Center facilities. ("Ringo", to be fair, does mean "apple" in Japanese.) Serves traditional Japanese-style dishes and Japanese-western fusion (occasionally with apple artfully added) at incredible prices (¥750 for an enormous plate of yakisoba, \600 for today's lunch).
- Korakuen (幸楽苑). Chain ramen shop. Cheap ramen noodles or a curry set for about ¥400. Open until midnight. Free water at the table, which is kind of a luxury. They also have beer, gyoza, and a few desserts.
- Ōshō Horumon (大昇ホルモン). The bibimbap/yakiniku place next to the Itoku supermarket. Typical bibimbap/yakiniku fare. Kimchi chahan available if you want a change from white rice. The menu has no pictures, but the owner's fairly accommodating to foreigners who need the meats explained. Note that "pork" plus a circular gesturing towards the stomach means "intestine", which is commonly eaten here, and not too bad, but not really flavorful, and very chewy.
- Yōrō-no-taki (養老乃瀧). Chain izakaya. The menu has pictures, and a variety of pizzas, a nice seafood Caesar salad, meat on a stick and a good selection of cocktails. Within walking distance of most of town.
Drink
[edit]There is at least one Izakaya in town, and at least one functioning karaoke place, but you'll have to find out where they are for yourself.
Sleep
[edit]The Furusato Center has cottages available to let in both Western and Japanese traditional styles. \6,000 for one person, ¥20,000 for 5-8 person group.
Go next
[edit]Take the train!