Tohoku 2016 東北の旅 - Hachinohe JR Station 八戸駅

Hachinohe JR Station 八戸駅 is located on Tohoku Shinkansen line 東北新幹線 and Hachinohe line 八戸線, in Aomori Prefecture. Well known for its fishing port which has achieved the highest amount of catch unloaded in Japan several times in its history, Hachinohe city 八戸市 is one of three major cities in Aomori Prefecture, alongside Aomori city 青森市 and Hirosaki city 弘前市.

Made Hachinohe one of my pit stops during my second trip to Tohoku region. From here, I traveled (1) to Kuji city, in Iwate Prefecture via JR Hachinohe line, (2) to Hokkaido on board Hayabusa via Tohoku and Hokkaido Shinkansen line and (3) Mutsu Yokohama むつ横浜 via Aoimori Railway and transferred to JR Ominato line at Noheji.

Trains serving this station include:

(1) Tohoku Emotion 東北エモーション, a themed train which commutes between Hachinohe 八戸駅 and Kuji 久慈駅. The train made its maiden trip in Oct 2013 and was introduced by JR East as part of recovery effort to promote tourism in Tohoku region after 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake. What makes Tohoku Emotion special is its mobile restaurant concept referred to as Tohoku restaurant 東北レストラン. Passengers are able to enjoy a full course meal which is specially designed for this train, utilising ingredients sourced from Tohoku region and prepared right on board the train’s open kitchen. Tohoku Emotion usually operates on Fridays, weekends and public holidays, and makes one round trip on its day of operation. Prior reservation for this train is required and can be made through View Travel びゅう旅行, a JR owned travel agency which is usually located in larger train stations.
https://www.jreast.co.jp/tohokuemotion/m/index.html

(2) Resort Umineko リゾートうみねこ, commutes between Hachinohe 八戸駅 and Kuji 久慈駅 via Hachinohe line. The train typically operates during weekends and public holidays, and makes one round trip on its day of operation. Unique features of this train are its large windows and seats that are oriented to face the sea, thus enabling passengers to capture a panoramic view of Pacific Ocean throughout the entire journey.
https://www.jr-morioka.com/noccha/train/umineko/

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What's nearby?

(1) Bus stops, on the east and west exit of train station.

West exit 西口:
- For JR Bus Tohoku Oirase-go おいらせ号 heading for Towada Art Center 十和田市現代美術館, 奥入瀬渓流 and Towada-ko 十和田湖.
Bus schedule: https://www.jrbustohoku.co.jp/route/detail.php?r=45&rc=11

West exit.

East exit 東口:
Platform #1:
- For Shiei bus / City operated bus 市営バス and Nanbu bus 南部バス heading for Chushingai Terminal / City Center Terminal 中心街タミナル (Central Hachinohe). Alight at Yooka machi 八日町 for Hachinohe Yatai-mura Miroku Yokocho 八戸屋台村みろく横丁.
Bus schedule: https://www.city.hachinohe.aomori.jp/bus/new/jikokuhyou/jikoku/0509_001.pdf

Night life. During my stay in Hachinohe city, I dropped by Hachinohe Yatai-mura Miroku Yokocho 八戸屋台村みろく横丁, one of the eight alleys of Hachinohe no Yokocho 八戸の横丁. A peek into Hachinohe's night life as locals hang out and relax at these alleys, lined with izakaya, eateries and bars, after a hard day's work.
Hachinohe Yatai-mura Miroku Yokocho: http://36yokocho.com/

Platform #4:
- For Nanbu's Hasshoku 100 yen bus 八食100円バス heading for Hasshoku Center 八食センター.
Bus schedule: http://www.nanbubus.co.jp/pdf/routebus/timetable/hasyoku/hasyoku100.pdf

Platform #5:
- For Towada Kankou Detetsu Bus 十和田観光電鉄バス Towada-shi ~ Hachinohe line 十和田市~八戸線 heading for Towada Chuo 十和田中央.
Bus schedule: http://www.toutetsu.co.jp/jikoku.htm

Bus Platform #1 at East Exit.

(2) Aoimori Tetsudo Hachinohe Station 青い森鉄道八戸駅, shares the same train station.
The conventional railway line between Aomori and Hachinohe is operated by Aoimori Tetsudo / Aoimori Railway 青い森鉄道 after the opening of Tohoku Shinkansen line in 2002 and its subsequent extension to Shin Aomori in 2010.
On Day 4, I utilised Aoimori Railway to commute from Hachinohe to Noheji 野辺地駅, continued my train journey northwards via JR Ominato line 大湊線 on Shimokita Peninsula 下北半島 and alighted at Mutsu Yokohama 陸奥横浜駅 for Yokohama Nanohana Festival 横浜菜の花フェスティバル.

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Commemorative stamp:

Aoimori Railway Hachinohe Station