This was my fifth visit to Takaoka. At first glance, there doesn't seem to be anything here, but strolling through this quiet little city filled with history feels comfortable and somehow unfathomable!
Once, my phone suddenly stopped working completely here and wouldn't respond at all! I went to a cell phone store for help, and they managed to restart it without charging me a cent!
Since then, I've fallen in love with how friendly and unpretentious this city is!
Lake Toya
There is no better attraction than the natural landscape of Lake Toya in Hokkaido. The area around a caldera lake, Lake Toya , and an active volcano, Mt.Usu, was designated as the Toya- Usu Unesco Global Geopark in UNESCO Global Geopark.
I came to Lake Toya alone in early summer.
The morning air was fresh, and everything around me was quiet.
Sitting quietly by the lake, all my stress and exhaustion completely disappeared.
Saruhashi Bridge
This unique and rare bridge is 30.9m long and 3.3m wide, and is supported not by piers but by four layers of splinters sticking out from both banks due to the deep gorge (31m high). It is one of the three strangest bridges in Japan, along with the Kintai Bridge in Iwakuni and the bridge in Kiso. It is also known for being depicted in "Koyo Saruhashi no Zu" by Hiroshige Utagawa and "Shokoku Dōchū Kane no Waraji" by Ikku Jippensha.
Last fall, I went chasing autumn leaves all the way to Saruhashi Bridge, and I actually cried!
After getting off the train at Saruhashi Station, I realized I was in trouble. I was the only person at the station, and there were no taxis or buses.
I had no choice but to go into a laundromat and ask for directions. A young mother made several phone calls for me, but she couldn't find a taxi. Then she suddenly said, “I'll drive you there!” She quickly gathered up her laundry and hurried to her car. Only after I got in did I realize there was a sleeping baby in the car!
When we arrived at Saruhashi Bridge and I got out, I asked how I could thank her. She said, “Just enjoy the beautiful autumn leaves at Saruhashi Bridge to your heart's content!”
I cried! Because her warmth was more beautiful than the autumn leaves!
Former Hirosaki City Library
A Western-style building with a striking red dome roof, featuring octagonal twin towers on both sides, standing in Otemon Square near Hirosaki Castle. Built in 1906 to commemorate Japan’s victory in the Russo-Japanese War, it was used as the city library until 1931. The three-story wooden building was designed and built by master carpenter Sakichi Horie, a Hirosaki native.
It was a cold winter day! After walking through the snowy countryside for nearly the entire day, I arrived in the city around evening. I was so exhausted that I ended up going the wrong way. I asked a passerby and received kind, detailed directions. They even asked me, “Where are you from? Aren’t you cold?” This poor traveler instantly felt energized again, filled with warmth and gratitude!
