Sapporo Heading South - Can't keep the Idiot Out

[Noel Mugavin]

First class seating


Up to the officer's quarters












You follow a designated path throughout the ship, eventually coming to a lift that takes you below to where the trains were loaded and secured onto the boat

 

[Noel Mugavin]

As you can imagine, there weren't a hell of a lot of tourists on a cold, windy, snowy day in Aomori. I was the only person on the boat, and it was a bit unnerving with all the creaks and groans going on in the bowels of the ship. I did the circuit in record time, just wanting to get to fresh air.







Fresh air. Still no one on the beach


Blue skies as well



Wandered back to the Nebuta Museum to pick up some bits and pieces


Not quite Abbey Road


It was a Wednesday and to avoid a fine from missing a football training session back home, I needed to send a photo with a piece of footy club merch in the picture.
So back off to Utou Shrine it was

 

[GarrettM]

Dear God that is a lot of snow.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Back to the hotel


Sky cleared again and I wanted to get to the waterfront to get a photo of the mountains to the North-East


Itupid me tried cutting across I guess what i a park during the non-snowy season, but I wasn't having much luck,constantly finding myself thigh deep in snow


Race against time as the light was quickly going, and I eventually caved and went the long way around the tourism building along a designated path




About the best I could get




Out to dinner and a quick pass through Utou Shrine. I was totally mesmerized by this place

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Disappointingly had dinner at Saizeriya. Can't remember what it was, would have been something very ordinary.
Strolled back to the hotel




One last stop at the shrine


A stop at the konbini adjacent to the hotel then to the front desk to forward my baggage and that was about it for another day in Aomori

 

[GarrettM]

Is that duck wearing your footy club merch or am I missing something?

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Is that duck wearing your footy club merch or am I missing something?

Nah, you haven't missed anything. Didn't post a photo with my beanie in it .
And re your earlier comment about there being a lot of snow - you aint seen nothing yet

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Thursday morning, and the weather had set in

A last walk to Aomori Station




An undulating sidewalk

 

[Noel Mugavin]

On the train and there was about a 7 or 8 minute delay before it departed. Was getting a little antsy about getting going as there's quite a bit of a wait between shinkansen departures at Shin-Aomori.
Finally got going and still had about 10 minutes to wait
Train departing at Shin-Aomori

Up to the shinkansen tracks






On the 10.54 Yamabiko

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Off at Fukushima for the transfer to the Yamagata Shinkansen




Down below and up again to change platforms





Delays somewhere as they were running a bit behind




Not much to see on the journey to Yonezawa, a complete whiteout outside the train
Shinkansen departing from Yonezawa