Easy Routes out of Misawa

Route 338 - Non-toll National Road(South for Momoishi, Shimoda Mall, Morioka etc; North for Rokkasho, Mutsu, Wakinosawa, Shimokita Pennisula). 

• Out POL gate
• Turn Left at 2nd light
• Follow the road until it Ts at Rte 338
• Turn Left to go to Rokkasho, Mutsu, Shimokita Pennisula
• Turn Right to go to Southern destinations
• Rt 338 North splits just before Rokkasho and rejoins in Rokkasho. The left branch is the better road and goes past Japan Nuclear Fuels Limited. 
• Rt 338 South  - comes to a traffic light right after Momoishi. Rte 338 is the right hand branch. The left hand road is Rte 19 and goes to Hachinohe Port and industiral area. 

Route 8 , Non-toll   (North for Tohoku, Aomori City, Michinoku #1 Toll Rd - South for Shimoda)

• North - 
• go out main gate
• Turn Right at second light
• Turn right at the intersection with a blue sign  directing to Aomori and Noheji
• South
• Go Out the POL gate
• Proceed to intersection where Circle K is on your RIGHT and Dynam Pachinko (log cabin) is on your left.
• Turn left here - this is Route 8 South. 

Route 10, Non-toll

• Go out POL 
• Stay on this road - it is route 10 to Towada City

Route 4, Non-toll National Road: Runs from North (Aomori City, Noheji to the South - Morioka, Sendai, Tokyo)

• Go out POL gate (you are on Route 10)
• Stay on Route 10 going towards Towada for about 15 km
• Route 10 crosses over Route 4 overpass
• Choose your direction and enter

Route 45, Non-toll National Road (From Towada City to Matsushima in Miyagi prefecture through Shimoda, Hachinohe, and the Pacific Coastline to Kuji, Fudai, Miyako etc)

• Go out POL and stay on this road until you see the toll road overpass
• Turn left at stop light before the overpass and merge on to the toll road
• At the first toll gate, pay Y200 and receive a ticket
• Get off at Exit 7, Hachinohe-Kita IC (Y150)
• After the toll gate, you intersect with Route 45
• Right to Shimoda and left to Hachinohe and other Southern destinations.

• You can also pick Rte 45 up outside of Shimoda mall and parallel the toll road....this is often called the "back way to Shimoda" but I'd need to drive it with an eye to landmarks to give more details. 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Directions to Shipwreck Beach

Geo Coordinates to the big parking area  N 40* 58.048      E 141* 13.312

Geo Coordinates to the ship wrecks N 40* 57.292        E 141* 12.794

Great place for a picnic, a beach stroll, to hunt for sea glass and to find glass floats (we've found six big ones).

Directions:

• Turn left at first stop light out POL Gate (heading to Hwy 338).
• Proceed to Circle K (on right at 2nd stop light).  (18.8 Km from our home)
• Turn left (north) at Circle K. 
• Continue on this road until it intersects with Hwy 338 - Turn left (north)
• Continue on Hwy 338 until you reach Circle K on the left at a stop light (27 klicks from our house). 
• Turn left on Hwy 5 - follow it until it T's with hwy 279 on Mutsu Bay (you'll pass the old Hwy 279)
• Turn right (north) on Hwy 279 - pass through several small villages
• Look for a large green fence on the left with big piles of white shells (note construction is done - think fence is gone too). 
• Turn left directly after the fence to walk down to ships or....
• Proceed to a dirt parking area on the right, directly before Hwy 279 crosses the rail road tracks. This is a safe spot to park and is a nice walk to the ships (head left after you get to the beach). 

OR

• Take Hwy 8 out of Misawa
• Turn Right (North) on hwy 4 towards Noheji
• Turn Right (North) on hwy 279 
• Pick one of the above places to stop

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Directions to Risoukyo Flower Farm

Geo Coordinates to general area N40* 38.140   E 141* 09.187

Best visited in June and July - though we went in September and enjoyed ourselves. 

Fees: 

May -          adult Y300      Students Y100

June/July      adult Y500      Students Y200

Other months - FREE 

Directions: - Get to Towada - there are two ways from base...get to Rt 10 below is the way which goes by our part of town.

• Leave through the POL gate
• Continue straight through town, under the toll road - keep going until you reach Towada
• As you reach Towada, the train tracks are on your left. You will pass two schools on your right, separated by a traffic light. 
• At the Y - go right
• You will pass Aomori Bank on the right at a stop light. 
• Continue past two more stop lights
• As it seems you are leaving the city, you will pass another school on the right, set back a few blocks. There will be a stop light with no buildings nearby. 
• After this stoplight, the road bends slightly to the left. At the next intersection, turn right. 
• You will being seeing signs to the Horse Park. Continue straight. Do not turn left to the Horse Museum. You will continue straight for about half a mile. Look for a road that angles to the right. There will be a sign with an iris on it. 
• Shortly after this turn you will see a building with a thatch roof - there are two entrances to the gardens. 

OR if you know your way to the horse park.....that last funky intersection before you go up the hill - turn RIGHT and watch for little signs with Iris on them - the road will angle to the right....it's about 5 min from this turn off to the little road that takes you to the flower garden. 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Farewelling Friends....

This is Susane and family's third assignment in Japan. She arrived the same summer our family arrived. They leave this summer.  Susanne has NEVER gone sea glass hunting. It's a near passion of Twyla's and mine.  Susane served as President the past two years at Misawa's PWOC.  We've traveled together, learned together, grown together, learned each others' strength and weaknesses......it's been good.

Susane looked over her scheduled and had one day before she left in which we could take her sea glass hunting. We went to Shipwreck Beach. We took my family and Twyla's kids with us. God gave us a GORGEOUS day....not too hot, no rain.....simply beautiful!

Two years of working closely together (Susane/Prez, me/Titus 2, retreats, Twyla/outreach)....and we realize we've put in the work to say we're good friends. Great fun yesterday, sharing our hearts and looking for sea glass. I'll miss serving alongside these two. 

Bre found some great pieces of sea glass too.

We found lots of sea glass.....and Mike even found another float. He's the champ! 

A few more shots for Bre's camera

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Rainy Days.....

This rainy started with a wonderful, leisurely chapel staff spouse breakfast. None of us had to be anywhere and it was a treat to sit and relax together.  Breakfast lasted so long I was able to pick Jared up at noon from work. He was thankful not to ride his bike as it was raining. 


Back at home I took a nap. Poor Mike has got to be SO jet lagged...not sure how he survived the day. The kids played a rousing game of Monopoly. 

I DID get a kettle of chicken soup simmering. Michael worked late and got home around 7:45 p.m. We were enjoying a visit with Akiko San when he arrived home. 


Akiko San brought Korean Pomegranate Vinegar in honor of my recent trip. We mixed it with water and it was VERY good. Surprisingly good. 

 She brought a variety of other tastes for us to sample...the left are sour plum delicacies, pizza chips, strawberri mochi (rice cakes)....but the Pretz? WASABI! Wow!

This is a new summer seasonal taste. Not sure how to describe it, but it was good. It is billed as "chocolate" and I'm not sure I would describe it that way.....but it was tasty. LOL 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

New Beachcombing Norm

Ah.....Michael is home and we had a great afternoon with him. We picked him up, ran to the chapel to "work on a few things," came home, picked up Jared and then went beach combing - which means we showed the local tsunami damage to Bre. 

Father's Day Gift 

Road to the Miss Veedol Swim Beach - gone

Mountains of sand has been taken from the harbor - and the work continues 3 months later.

Acres of pine trees along the shoreline are dying....sad.

As debris fields move to shore there is no telling what you'll find....we wonder if some of this will find it's way to OR and WA by next year.  We find less sea glass. 

Pipes used to be buried about 5 feet under

Spot where the sea wall was breached

House beams on the beach

Dresser fronts 

A rice bowl Mike found filled with the glass I found today.

Smiling as I remember, Renee. I wonder if her pedi has lasted....think I'll have to go get a new one soon....but I like looking down and remembering a friendly afternoon. 

Yeah - we'll try ANY road....Bre commented if Homer, AK was the END OF THE ROAD....this must be the BEGINNING OF THE ROAD! 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Field Trip with Friends

Misawa PWOC headed out to Towada Horse Park. Stacia had been wanting to go all summer, this was a treat.  Part of our summer plans are to have Japan 101 one week, followed by an Off Base Adventure the next week. We aim to give women new to Misawa a great introduction to Japan. 

Click for directions. We've visited in the fall without Michael and with Michael,  and winter, but this is our first summer trip. There was so much foliage we couldn't even see the top of the slide. 

Bre's first really big roller slide. 

After lunch - which proved to be an adventure as I simply pushed buttons for tickets and waited to see what we'd be eating - we suggested going to the Gardens. I really wanted to do this while Bre was home. Several families joined us..... Risoukyo Flower Garden and Outdoor Museum - it's worth the trip. I'll post directions soon.

Patiently making getas - wooden sandals. 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...