Day 6 - Morioka and Iwate

Day 6 - Morioka and Iwate #Japan2019

Today will be a lot of train travelling as I'm exploring some surrounding area but I guess a rest from all the walking is not a bad thing

Tiny breakfast spread at hotel, I'm surprised they offer anything given how cheap it is

Outside of the hotel

Main JR station, also it's raining which is a bit annoying, probably has to get something for it... I hope the gorge visit still happens if it rains...

Caved and bought an umbrella and a poncho like rain cover

This time the shinkansen actually has people, who'd have thought it gets used at prime morning rush

Fast trains are fun, being able to see outside is nice but losing the daylight is unfortunate

Arrived at Ichinoseki, gotta transfer from here

I have like 30 mins to kill, time to explore a bit

Train stations are just cool

Fun fact, you might have seen these yellow lines on the ground a bunch in sidewalks pics and like me wondered about them. t first I thought they were to split the sidewalk into left and right but nobody seemed to be using then that way, and it wasn't an even split anyway

Turns out they're “Tactile Ground Surface Indicators” that visually impaired people can use to navigate as the texture is different and crossings are marked which is pretty cool as I don't really associate Japan with accessibility but maybe they are farther ahead than I thought

I wish these windows were a bit cleaner, some of the things we pass are pretty

Local stops, next is mine

Time to go to the gorge

Edamame ice cream, it's interesting

Boat time

Zunda dango (edamame on top, guess it's a local thing)

Gorge is pretty so far but I'm honestly really bummed by this dumb rain protection roof, can barely see anything except at eye level, it's really disappointing

Some shots from the gorge

Some one the way back to the station, just got back to ichinoseki

This train to Hiraizumi is full of like middle schoolers, not sure why there's so many (not in a group) at 12:30, lunch break maybe?

On my way to Chuusonji Temple

But first some wanko soba

🤤

Ok on the climb

Stopping at some random shop on the way up for some amazake

It's warm which is nice on this windy and chilly day

Some of these areas are sooo pretty

Couldn't take pictures inside but it has this golden Buddha display which was quite gorgeous to see

Some more pics in the temple trail, back at the station waiting to go back to Ichinoseki from where I'll go to Morioka

Train is here

Now back on the shinkansen from Ichinoseki

Have to figure out what to do, one goal will be to eat something fun and the other to get a nice duffel type thing to contain the increasing snack collection

I'm thinking I'll eat beef tongue since it's a local thing

Actually, that seems to be more a Sendai thing so I'll wait to eat it there tonight I might get some local noodle specialty

Quick pit stop at the hotel to drop things and umbrella off, I didn't even open the umbrella in the end but I guess it's nice to have

Oh also to get my sweater under the hoodie because it's surprisingly chilly out

This sweater makes an insane difference

I'll walk along the main shopping street since what else can you do at night

Time to eat Jajamen, one of the 3 Morioka famous noodles, already had wankosoba earlier

It comes with instructions

Food time

It evolves

That was one of my favorite meals so far, definitely among my favorite noodle dishes and it wasn't even 800 yen for a ridiculous amount of food

If you're ever in Morioka don't miss out on Jajamen at Pairon

Ok I think I finished walking around, I didn't find a place that sold a duffel or suitcase though, I grabbed a milk flavored pudding from Lawson's which I loved, milk flavored things need to move westward