A more precious birthday trip than expected - Aomori

        This six day trip to Aomori was originally intended to celebrate my family's 60th birthday, imagining strolling in the pink cherry blossom sea during the season of cherry blossom blooming. However, at the end of the journey, the most memorable images were not cherry blossoms, but the white snow covering the mountains and the mother's brilliant smile like a child when she first saw the snow.

                Our cherry blossom viewing itinerary is not particularly focused on popular attractions, but rather follows the recommendations of locals to visit the beloved Hepu Park in Aomori. The cherry blossom trees extending along the coast are in full bloom, with waves crashing against the shore in a regular pattern. The cherry blossoms sway in the breeze, and the continuous pink flower sea complements the blue sea surface. When the sea breeze blows gently, the petals fall gently like snow, and spring presents itself in the gentlest way possible

        Unlike the hustle and bustle of tourist attractions, local residents can be seen leisurely strolling around here. The most impressive one is an elderly couple with gray hair who lay simple picnic mats under cherry blossom trees, quietly enjoying their bento and occasionally chatting with the sea. There were no hurried steps or deliberate poses, everything was so natural, as if this cherry blossom forest was a part of their lives.

        The most charming place to travel is not necessarily to check in at many well-known attractions, but to be able to step into the daily lives of locals and experience their scenery. Hepu Park allowed us to enjoy the afternoon closest to Aomori life, and also left warm spring memories for this journey.

        However, what truly surprised us throughout the entire journey was the scene as the car left the city and headed towards the Oise River and the mountainous area of Hachida. As the altitude gradually increased, the scenery outside the window gradually turned from lush green forests to white traces, followed by thicker snow, and finally became a silver white world. Everyone in the car couldn't help but be shocked, because the day before we were taking photos under the cherry blossom trees, the scenery in front of us was snowy. The impact of seasonal chaos far exceeds the shock that any photo or video can convey.

        The happiest person is undoubtedly their 80 year old mother. Although she had seen countless snow scenes from many photos and TV screens, it was the first time she truly stood in the snow. When the car stopped near the water lily marsh, she couldn't wait to get off the car, carefully stepped on the snow, and explored the new world in front of her step by step. She touched the thick snow wall on the roadside, carefully examined the snow on the branches, and excitedly took pictures with her phone, afraid of missing any picture. Looking at the overflowing smile on her face, I was also deeply moved.

        Another unforgettable aspect of this trip was choosing a self driving trip. Although public transportation in Japan is convenient, many beautiful landscapes are often hidden in corners that cannot be reached by trains and buses. Perhaps it is a snowy forest that suddenly appears after a turn, a rocky mountain at the end of a rural road, or a small river that is so quiet that almost no tourists pass by... Thanks to cars, we are able to freely shuttle through rural and mountainous roads.

                We stopped by the riverbank near Fujisaki, watching flocks of white birds leisurely float on the water surface illuminated by the sunset; I have also been by the seaside of Lu'ao Bay, quietly waiting for the sunset to set and feeling the gentle sea breeze blowing. The Oirase Stream is one of the most beautiful gifts for self driving travel. Along the winding stream, attractions such as Ishido, Asura Stream, Yuni Waterfall, and Choko Waterfall are distributed on both sides of the road. The sound of the stream, waterfall, and forest atmosphere interweave into the most natural background music, allowing people to fully immerse themselves in nature.

        In the latter half of the trip, we even had a wonderful illusion that we were not here for sightseeing, but to live in Aomori. Every morning, go to the market to buy breakfast, drink coffee in the old coffee shops with strong Showa style, and in the afternoon, visit local supermarkets and shopping streets to observe the daily lives of residents; In the evening, drive to the seaside to watch the sunset, and in the evening, go to Jujiu Restaurant or Lamian Noodles Restaurant for dinner. These seemingly ordinary things, however, can better feel the true warmth of this city than watching fancy sightseeing on horseback. When we start to remember the location of the supermarket, familiarize ourselves with the route back to the restaurant, and even know where the sunset is most beautiful, that sense of familiarity has surpassed the relationship between the traveler and the destination.

                Of course, there are also tense interludes during the journey. My mother fell twice, causing everyone to instantly switch from joyful mode to caring mode; The cold wind by the shore of Shihetian Lake was so strong that it was like a cold current. Although we couldn't help but tremble, we persisted in completing the picnic by the lake; On the Xuan Ye Plateau, even though there was no one around, everyone inexplicably started dancing and taking photos, laughing uncontrollably... These unplanned anecdotes have now become the most vivid memories in retrospect.

        Six days have passed in the blink of an eye, but the emotions brought to us by Aomori far exceeded our expectations. We appreciate the blooming cherry blossoms and also see the still melting snow; I experienced the leisure of the city and the grandeur of the mountains and forests; Enjoying hot springs, delicious food, and a carefree self driving journey, I also accompanied my family on a meaningful 60th birthday.

        Years from now, we may forget the name of a certain restaurant, or we may not remember which day we went to which scenic spot, but we will never forget that spring. The spring with both cherry blossoms and white snow; The spring when I watched my 80 year old mother laugh like a child in the snow; That family of four drove through mountains, seas, and rural areas, as if they were the spring of the Aomori people. This warmth and emotion will always stay in the depths of memory, for a long, long time.

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