It is July already. We are halfway through this year. Before a blazing midsummer, it is time to plan my next vacation. Although I am very busy, I wish to take one week's summer holidays at least.
Last summer, I visited Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures in Tohoku District. Two years ago, I also visited Tohoku District in midsummer, but way up north... Iwate Prefecture. I remember that it was a very impressive journey, as traditional Japanese scenery and buildings remained there. For instance, I saw Magariyas, traditional houses, in Toono City. Magariya is a house horizontally bent at a right angle, because it is composed of a main house and a stable. There used to be many Magariyas in Toono City. Local people took care of their farm horses as their family.
To visit Toono City, a local train on the JR East Kamaishi Line is convenient. Passing through the photogenic Glasses Bridge (Miyamori-gawa Railway Bridge), it takes about 1 hour 50 minutes from Shin-Hanamaki Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen. Our vehicle was diesel rail-cars, the KiHa 100 series. It is a 16.5 meter-long diesel rail-car, launched in 1990. A total of 46 units have been built over three years by Niigata Tekko and Fuji Heavy industries. The train runs without conductors on board, which means that the driver operates the train doors. Different from the 110 series, the 100 series has driver's seats on both sides of the car.
I wonder where to go this summer?
Last summer, I visited Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures in Tohoku District. Two years ago, I also visited Tohoku District in midsummer, but way up north... Iwate Prefecture. I remember that it was a very impressive journey, as traditional Japanese scenery and buildings remained there. For instance, I saw Magariyas, traditional houses, in Toono City. Magariya is a house horizontally bent at a right angle, because it is composed of a main house and a stable. There used to be many Magariyas in Toono City. Local people took care of their farm horses as their family.
To visit Toono City, a local train on the JR East Kamaishi Line is convenient. Passing through the photogenic Glasses Bridge (Miyamori-gawa Railway Bridge), it takes about 1 hour 50 minutes from Shin-Hanamaki Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen. Our vehicle was diesel rail-cars, the KiHa 100 series. It is a 16.5 meter-long diesel rail-car, launched in 1990. A total of 46 units have been built over three years by Niigata Tekko and Fuji Heavy industries. The train runs without conductors on board, which means that the driver operates the train doors. Different from the 110 series, the 100 series has driver's seats on both sides of the car.
I wonder where to go this summer?
