Sailors on long voyages can easily loose track of what day it is, so the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has established Friday as curry rice day. Each ship and unit has their own curry recipe, and the delicious flavor gives the sailors an extra boost. Today, you can try the unique curry recipes of the six units stationed at the Ominato base at various restaurants in Mutsu City.

The Ominato district of Mutsu City has undergone rapid transition and development as a key port since the opening of the former navy's Ominato Mines in 1902. After the end of the war, the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Ominato District Unit was established, and the area has become the keystone of defense in the north. Naval facilities from the Meiji era are scattered around Suigen Pond Park and the JMSDF Ominato District Unit, retaining the vestiges of those days. The city has developed this whole area as “Ominato, the Northern Defender of the North.　This area is about a 10-minute drive from JR Ominato Station. Volunteer guides are available to show visitors around the area (Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays from mid-April to the end of November. Please inquire for other dates). ) They will guide you through the history of Ominato and the nature of the four seasons.
Old Ominato Water Source Water Supply Facility　This stone structure was built in Suigen-ike Park, which is a famous cherry blossom viewing spot in Mutsu City and is visited by many people from within and outside of the prefecture, as well as local citizens. It was designated as a National Important Cultural Property in December 2009. In particular, the gravity-arch stone weir, “Chinsumiike Weir,” is extremely rare among those still in existence.
■Hokuyokan (North Sea Pavilion)　Built in 1916 as the Suikosha (a social gathering place for naval officers) of the former Navy's Ominato Yoho Department, it is now a museum for the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Ominato District Unit. The museum exhibits valuable materials from the opening of the navy's Ominato torpedo squadron in 1902 to the present.
■Nibankan (No. 2 Building)　This building was constructed in 1914 as an officer's residence of the former navy's Ominato Port Department. Currently designated as a tangible cultural property of the city, it is a facility for cultural activities and exchanges.
Ando Kan　The interior and exterior of this facility, which was designed to resemble the actual building of the former Ominato Port Department of the Navy, evoke the Meiji and Taisho Periods. The building has a sales area for original goods and other items, as well as a multi-purpose social hall (fee required).
Umiboukan　From the 55-meter-high observatory, visitors can see Mutsu Bay, the Hakkoda Mountains, and the Shiriyazaki area below, as well as the beautiful natural beauty of Ashizaki (sand spit) and the Maritime Self-Defense Force's naval vessels anchored in Ashizaki Bay.
■Local gourmet foods　1) Ominato Navy Croquettes: It is said that the “Navy croquettes” based on a Navy recipe originated in Ominato. These naval croquettes were prepared based on the “Reference Book of Naval Kappou Technique,” which was supplemented and revised in 1908, and the restaurants in the city follow the recipe from this reference book, using beef fat called het.
　(2) Ominato Maritime Self-Defense Force Curry: The Maritime Self-Defense Force has a custom of eating curry and rice every Friday, as the outside scenery rarely changes during voyages, which can lead to a loss of sense of the days of the week. In Mutsu City, visitors can taste the curry selected by each unit based on their own unique secret recipe, such as ships belonging to the Ominato Maritime Self-Defense Force Base.

　Mt. Osorezan is a sacred mountain founded by Jikaku Daishi Ennin about 1200 years ago. Osorezan has long been visited by believers from all over Japan, and during the Osorezan Grand Festival in July and the Autumn Pilgrimage in October, many people visit the mountain every day to mourn the loss of their relatives and to remember their loved ones. For 1,000 years, the simple belief and prayer that “when people die, they go to the mountain” has been passed down from generation to generation.
1、Osorezan Grand Festival (July 20-24)-The Grand Festival attracts many visitors every year with the Kamiyama Ceremony, Daihannya Prayer, and the Great Offering of Food Ceremony.
2、Osorezan Autumn Pilgrimage (3 consecutive holidays with Sports Day as the last day) - During the Autumn Pilgrimage, the Daisegaki Memorial Service and the Daihanja Prayer are held.*Inquire for details in 2022.
Shojin ryori - Shojin ryori (vegetarian food) is available for lunch at the Jikido Shukubo dining hall.　Number of people allowed: Groups of 5 or more (*Advance reservation is required at least one week in advance.)　Fee: 2,500 yen per person (*Additional entrance fee of 500 yen is required.)　Inquiries: Osorezan Temple Office 0175-22-3825
*Fees and details are current as of July 11, 2022.

This is a shukubo (lodging facility of a temple) located deep in the mountains of Ohma-cho, Aomori Prefecture, a town famous for its tuna! You can enjoy an extraordinary experience of seafood including tuna, natural hot springs, various Zen experiences, and vegetarian cuisine. How about giving your mind a rest and cultivating the vitality to live in the “now” at a Zen temple deep in the mountains, full of nature in a fishing town?

This program allows you to try your hand at fishing for a single piece of the finest "Oma Tuna".After learning how to fish and how to use the fisherman's tools, you will try your hand at catching a single tuna.Enjoy a heated battle with the tuna, which can only be experienced "here in Oma Town.You can take home the tuna you catch, but tuna weighing less than 30 kg will be released due to regulations on bluefin tuna fishing.
Take home tuna = send it home by mail (cash on delivery) *Limited to within Japan.

The northernmost area of Honshu is one that you will want to visit if you are a traveler. There is a monument standing here with engraving stating that it is the northernmost area of Honshu. Accordingly, you can experience the feeling of coming to the land at the end of Honshu. It is only 17.5 kilometers to Shiokubi Cape in Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait. You can see Goryokaku Tower in Hakodate on a fine day.
The monument modeled on a 440-kilogram tuna caught with a pole by an Oma fisherman is the perfect place for a commemorative photograph. You will find the Omazaki Rest House tourist information center to the side of the monument. They will issue you a certificate stating you have arrived at Omazaki Cape at the northernmost area of Honshu for 200 yen. Please get this to commemorate your trip.
The tuna caught here in Oma Town is a top-quality product known across Japan under the brand name of Oma Maguro (Oma Tuna). The season for these tuna is from fall to winter when they eat plenty of the abundant feed in the Tsugaru Strait and then come to the seas off Oma. This tuna has fine quality fat distinctive of natural fish. Why don't you luxuriously try fresh first-class tuna caught with a pole in the home of this brand?
It takes about 10 minutes by taxi to reach Oma Terminal where ferries depart to Hakodate. Many people stop by here while they are waiting before and after departures and arrivals.

Hachinohe's “food,” “fun,” and “pleasure” are all on display at this huge market! The market building, the main part of the facility, is filled with fresh seafood, dried delicacies, souvenirs, and other Hachinohe area specialties. The main market building is filled with fresh seafood, dried delicacies, souvenirs, and other Hachinohe-area specialties!
Shichirin VillageThis is a space for eating and drinking where food purchased at the market building can be grilled over charcoal and eaten directly on site.Hours: 9:00-17:00Closed: WednesdaysFee (2 hours): Adults: 500 yen / Elementary school students: 200 yen / Infants: free
*Information as of September 30, 2024.

Among the Sanriku Reconstruction National Parks created on May 24, 2013 to contribute to the reconstruction of the Sanriku area damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tanesashi Coast is said to be a treasure trove of spectacular scenery.It is also certified for excellence by Trip Advisor. With over 650 species of native plants, it is also known as the "flowery shore" where flowers bloom from early summer to autumn. The 12-kilometer-long coastline is sprinkled with one-of-a-kind sights, including Kaburajima Island, a breeding ground for petrels, the beautifully scenic Ashigezaki Observatory, and a natural grassy area along the sea.The splendor of the area has been loved by writers and artists such as Hatsusaburo Yoshida, a painter of bird's-eye views, and Kaii Higashiyama, a Japanese painter, who left many works of art related to Tanegashi.
≪Ashigezaki Observatory≫ This observatory is located at the tip of the cape. It is said to have been used to monitor foreign ships in the closing days of the Tokugawa Shogunate and by the Japanese military during the Pacific War, and is now a place of scenic beauty that people can enjoy today.≪Nakasuga≫ There is a promenade along the reef cove. The mountain stream has made the promenade more enjoyable to stroll along, with many plants that bloom only in high mountains.≪Kamanokuchi≫ It is called Kamanokuchi because there is a rock in the shape of a large cauldron in the sea in the cove.≪Osuga Beach≫ A beach with precious squeaking sand. The 2.3-kilometer-long white sand beach is the largest beach in Tohoku where visitors can take a walk.≪You can experience "squeaking sand" on the beach of Oosuga Beach, which makes a "squeak, squeak" sound when the sand is rubbed. This sound is made when quartz grains of sand with their corners removed are clean and dry.≪Shiraiwa≫It is called Shiraiwa because it is whitened by cormorant droppings. The contrast between the blue of the sea and sky and the green of the pine grove is beautiful.≪Yodo no Matsubara≫ A promenade lined with pine trees more than 100 years old. The rugged beauty of the coast can be seen through the trees.≪The terrace covered with natural grass extends all the way to the edge of the waves, offering an open landscape with a view of the Pacific Ocean. Rocky mountains appear as far as Ohkuki at the southern end.

An exhilarating cruise on a "sappa boat" (a small rock boat) operated by local fishermen. You will feel the size of the ocean and be overwhelmed by the power of the 200-meter-high cliffs that you can look up at from directly below.The boat takes you through narrow rocks that almost touch the rock surface, allowing you to get very close to the cliffs and strange and monstrous rocks, so you can fully enjoy the powerful and dynamic coastline of Tanohata. The rocking of the small boat and the tilting of the boat when changing course are the essence of adventure. There are no tricks, but the thrill you feel with your whole body is like a natural attraction at a theme park. It is a 60-minute tour in which you can also enjoy the interaction with the fishermen.
※For safety reasons, a person who understands Japanese must accompany each ship.

Fresh seafood caught in the sea of Tanohata is prepared by the fishermen themselves in their working hut “Banya”. The fishermen's mothers will teach you how to enjoy the local delicacies. The fish you catch yourself tastes exceptionally delicious.

Trekking with a local guide along the Michinoku Shiokaze Trail, including Kitayamazaki. Courses can be set according to your physical strength and time.In Tanohata Village, which is rich in nature, there are also the “Unosu Cliff Nature Trail” and the “Kitayamazaki Nature Trail, one of the 100 best walking trails. The Sanriku Geopark and the remains of the earthquake disaster are also highlights of the area.A journey of walking and feeling becomes a richer journey when you know the background and story behind it. The guide will guide you along the course, showing you what the flowers in front of you are, what kind of bird nests are on the cliffs in the distance, how the hand-dug tunnels were built, and so on.