Part of the reason I wanted to visit Tazawako is that one of Japan’s most famous hot springs, Nyuto Onsen was near the lake. There are about eight bath houses around this spring, but the one I wanted to visit was Tsuru-no-yu, a bath house that has been in business for nearly 400 years.

Wanted to take an extra day at Tazawako as a rest day and visit this onsen, but the climb to reach it up in the mountains was far from that. Still, the bath was worth it. The water contains many minerals including sulphur, sodium and carbonic acid which is meant to contain healing properties( and turns the water white), at least according to the legend of the origins of the bath house – discovered when a hunter saw a crane healing it’s wounds in the water.

Despite the 10km climb to the bath, it was the best way I could have spent this rest day.

Goshogawara was the last stop in our tour of Tohoku’s festivals. The town is smaller than both Hirosaki and Aomori, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I think it turned out to be my favourite festival of the bunch.

The ride from Hirosaki was easy, pleasant and short. We followed a local road that took us through orchards and scattered houses that was flat and quiet. It wasn’t even all that warm.

We got to Hirosaki, scouted for a place to set up our tents after the festival and then went into town to grab some festival food (always delicious, my festival dish of choice is called okonomiaki, cabbage, egg, noodles and a host of other ingredients all fried together) and a good spot to watch the parade.

Our campsite and Goshogawara

Goshogawara is famous for having tall floats in their festival. I wasn’t quite sure what that would mean exactly but it produced some stunning floats, along with a huge double drum tower that led the parade.

As always there was music and dancers in the parade too. Of all the festivals, this one felt the most lively – probably why I enjoyed it the most.

Albert and I rode from Aomori to Hirosaki, leaving the campsite at 10. Calum wanted to see more of the city and would meet us later on, taking a train to Hirosaki.

The ride from Aomori to Hirosaki was only about 35km, an easy distance. At first it was a long but shallow ascent that was surprisingly tough, probably because I was expecting a simple day ride. After we crested the hill it was easy going, flat land and the wind at our backs.

Hirosaki is probably one of the nicest cities I’ve visited so far. Small in size with historical significance thanks to its castle and grounds but with that youthful atmosphere that comes with a university town. Albert and I visited the castle in the centre of the city. Albert has a pretty in depth knowledge of Japanese history which he told me about as we toured the grounds.

Albert and me in front of the remaining tower at Hirosaki castle.

We went to scope out scamp spot down by the river then, satisfied, returned to the city centre to meet Calum who had arrived by train and to see the Neputa.

The festival opened with traditional Japanese music, and then moved on to the floats which went as elaborate in construction as Aomori, but a lot more detailed in decoration. And drummers and pipers kept a beat throughout.

Aomroi is famous for its apples and Hirosaki is apple centre of Aomori. The next morning Albert, Calum and I went in search of apple pie. We found a coffee shop that served some delicious apple pie and over that and coffee we planned the rest of our trips, Albert and Calum showing me good places to camp and routes to take along the next few legs of my journey culminating in Kyoto.

After Calum left us and Albert and I made our way to the final festival in Goshogawara.

I looked desperately for somewhere I could update the blog before I left Aomori but to no avail. I’m in Kakunodate now with a net connection, full battery and a whole load of photos. Since last I updated I visited the Hirosaki and Goshogawara Nebuta, then began to make progress south again via the northern Japanese alps. I’ll throw posts about these up as soon as I have written them!

My ferry this morning was cancelled due to an engine failure. This was one of the best things to happen to me on this trip.

My initial plan was to skip Aomori all together and cycle straight to my next goal of Lake Towadako as soon as I got off the ferry. It was only 70km away and I could make it before dark if I got the early ferry. Now, I wasn’t sure what I would.

Things seem to have a way of working out it seems. While waiting in the terminal for the next boat to lead at 12 I got talking (more gesturing and pointing, really) to a Japanese couple who told me there was a summer campground set up in Aomori in anticipation of a big festival in the city.

I left Hokkaido now feeling confident about my plan to tackle Northern Honshu.

The campground was right beside the ferry terminal. It was packed. There was a real sense of anticipation in the air for the upcoming festival. I had only briefly read about the festival in my guidebook. Now I was really looking forward to seeing it.

At the campground I met an American expat of 30 years calls Albert who told me a bit more about the festival. There was going to be huge floats, hundreds of dancers and musicians and drummers. The whole thing sounded amazing. Albert also informed of other, similar festivals he planned to visit in nearby towns over the next few days, and let me join him on his tour. An impromptu change of plan, the best change of plan. Also ran into Callum, a young English guy who had been living in Japan for a year and was now hitchhiking around the county before going home.

The festival, the Aomori Nebuta was unbelievable. Huge, colourful paper floats, brightly costumed dancers and a constant primal drumming and piping. I can’t really describe it well but I took a video which I will upload when I get the chance. Here are also some photos.

The whole thing was crazy, and tomorrow we will go to another town and do it all again.

A lot of my time in Hakodate was spent searching for a bike shop to replace one of tyres that had bitten the dust along the road in Hokkaido.

I still got to see a fair amount of the city though. Being stuck on a narrow strip of land concentrates a lot of the restaurant, shops and sights together – a nice change from the endless sprawl of most Japanese cities.

I stayed in a great guesthouse just on the outskirts of town at the foot of the mountain at the head of Cape Tachimachi. It was situated near a nice little Shinto shrine, where I passed an old man paying respect every morning.

My last night in Hakodate was the first night week long festival in the city and there was a fireworks display down on the waterfront.

With plans made and the next leg of the journey prepare, I went to bed early ready to catch the 7am ferry to Aomori. Well rested now, I’m looking forward to recommencing the tour.

There was a great atmosphere, delicious street food and the weather, at last, was clear. There was a speaker playing traditional Japanese music along with the fireworks, until the grand finale when they played Champagne Supernova by Oasis. I guess Japan had to add its own weird spin to it somehow.