If you're near Aomori Port, be sure to visit the Seikan Renrakusen Memorial Ship, Hakkoda-Maru. This historically significant Seikan ferry is now permanently docked at Aomori Port and open to the public as a floating museum.
Also, remember to walk around Aomori Port and see the art installations rich in cultural and historical significance.
The connection between Osamu Dazai and the “red ribbon” mainly comes from a commemorative event rather than a direct reference in his literary works or personal life:
The “Red Ribbon Project” monument: In 2009, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Aomori Prefecture and Hakodate and commemorate the 100th anniversary of Osamu Dazai's birth, the two cities jointly organized a commemorative event called the “Red Ribbon Project” (紅絲帶プロジェクト).
Monument design: As part of the project, a bronze monument was installed in the Aomori Port area. Its design was inspired by a scene from Dazai's novel “Memories,” in which he and his younger brother look out over the strait. The bronze statue depicts a boy and a girl with red ribbons tied around their ankles, symbolizing the deep bond and connection between the two cities.
Therefore, the red ribbon was not originally an element in Dazai's works. It was given special symbolic meaning through a local cultural event commemorating the Aomori-born writer.
It's worth mentioning that some tourists who saw the bronze statue with red ribbons tied around the ankles associated it with the rope tied around Dazai and his mistress when they drowned themselves, but this is only a personal interpretation and is unrelated to the original intent of the official commemorative event. Osamu Dazai attempted suicide several times. His final attempt was a double suicide with his lover, Tomie Yamazaki, in the Tamagawa Josui canal.
