by Aomori AJET Thanks to AJET and all those who showed up for a fantastic event! We hope you had a great time. For those of you who missed it, you can check out some of the photos below. Be sure to make it to the next AJET event, as well as the upcoming welcome … Continue reading
By Kyle Buck The mountains that our lovely prefecture of Aomori grew up around are beautiful. No matter what season you venture into them, you are sure to come away with a sense of awe. For me, the pinnacle of its beauty is to stand atop Mt. Hakkoda on a crisp, clear winters day, looking … Continue reading
By Kyle Buck In its hayday, the Matsuo mine was a beacon of progress. The miners and their families lived in the comforts of an innovative town. 15,000 residents enjoyed the luxuries of central heating, flushing toilets and garbage chutes. It truly was a paradise above the clouds! But after the sulfur stopped flowing, the town … Continue reading
By Kyle Buck Another great festival has come and gone, but our memories and pictures will last a lifetime! Continue reading
By Kyle Buck It’s getting to be that magical time of year again when people show how creative they can be with snow. Every February, Lake Towada hosts the largest snow festival in the Tohoku region. Keep reading to see some of the magic from the Lake Towada Winter Story Festival over the last three … Continue reading
By Kyle Buck This year, Instead of going home for winter vacation, I went to Thailand! Here are some of the amazing things I saw while I was there. Continue reading
By Kyle Buck First, the HOLIDAY PHOTO COMPETITION!!! We are going to be doing the Winter Break Photo Competition again this year. So, make sure to add a camera to your list of things to bring as you plan out what you are going to do with your time off. Any pictures are okay, as long … Continue reading
By Kyle Buck While you can see some lovely fall colors down in the cities now, the seasons have been been rapidly changing up in the mountains. I have gotten several chances to travel around Mt. Hakkoda over the last couple of weeks. Let’s take a look at some of the best fall views around the mountain. Continue reading
By Yoshi (Kyle Buck) It has been a tradition that every year after our Skills Development Conference, the JETs of Aomori head up to Hakodate for some R&R. One of the most popular places to visit is Mount Hakodate. It has some stunning views of the city, but I was most impressed by the ruins … Continue reading
By Kyle Buck I want to keep most of my posts about places in Aomori prefecture, but there is a place just south of us that has some amazing views. Hachimantai in Iwate prefecture is a place where nature has reclaimed some parts of civilization, while those who still live there have learned to coexist with … Continue reading
By Kyle Buck Usually, when I am in the mood for a nice scenic area, I head up into the mountains. But this week, I ventured out to the coast to get some great shots of Buddha’s Cove (Hotoke-ga-ura). Journey with me to see one of Shimokita’s hidden treasures. Continue reading
By Kyle Buck Every year around July or August, the earth travels through the debris field of Comet Swift-Tuttle. The rock and ice that this comet leaves behind spectacularly fall to earth in the Perseids Meteor Shower. This year, I went to Mt. Hakkoda in search of the best view of these shooting stars. Continue reading
By Kyle Buck Soryu Falls (双竜の滝) by Mitchell Urbanowicz People often ask me what my favorite part about living in Aomori is. I can tell them, without a doubt, that it is the natural beauty of the area. Weather you drive, hike, or ski there are so many wonders to discover. Join me this month … Continue reading
By Michael Smith Early Sunday morning… Superheroes from all over the prefecture sped toward the 4th Annual Hirosaki Castle Relay Marathon. Continue reading
By Michael Smith Air buzzing with life. Laughter ringing through the streets. Sunlight melting into your skin like hot apple butter. Sadly, Golden Week is over a week behind us. And boy, oh, boy, the Mondays. But that doesn’t mean you can’t relive those memories again and again with our Golden Week edition of Photo … Continue reading
By Ellen Fraser Instead of bombarding you with more artsy photos of sakura, I’m gonna bombard you with photos of people being merry and loving life with maybe a bit of sakura lurking in the background because spring is in the goddamn air FINALLY. Continue reading
By Ellen Fraser You may have heard about Aoni before: a rustic onsen tucked away along the mountain stream near Kuroishi, and known for having no electricity.* There are four beautiful baths, of which the rotenburo, complete with giant bucket, is the showstopper by far. The guest house’s polished wooden corridors reflect the soft glow of the oil … Continue reading
[Photo Corner is looking for a co-editor! Ellen has been doing a stunning job with Photo Corner – but, to our great sadness, she will be going back home to Blighty at the end of this JET year. We have a new fantastic editor eager to get going, but as they’re pretty busy, we’re looking … Continue reading
By Ellen Fraser Cherry blossoms are so mainstream. So in-your-face and obnoxiously pink. Have you seen those plum blossoms though? They’re like the cool indie little sister I never had, but in flower form. Continue reading
To celebrate GMA’s special 50th issue, we asked you to send in a photo or two that you took in Aomori and tell us why it’s special to you. Thank you everyone for your contributions! We hope you enjoy the stories of these photos cherished by our JETs, and a little more evidence that Aomori’s … Continue reading
Good Morning Aomori 