Art & Culture　/　History & Tradition　/　Natural Scenery　/　Activities & Experience
　　　　　　　　Sightseeing facility　/　Events & Festivals　/　Special products

Misawa City ,Oirase Town Area

Misawa City, adjacent to Tohoku Town, is a place from which Miss-Veedol first nonstop transpacific flight took place. The Miss Veedol was piloted by two Americans: Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon. In commemoration of this achievement, a restoration of Miss-Veedol was put on the Sabishiro coast. From the top of a sightseeing tower beside the Miss-Veedol there is a great view of the Pacific Ocean.*
Misawa Air Force Base is also located in Misawa City. Just outside the main gate we can see many shops that accept both American dollars and Japanese Yen. The Base supports three entities: the Air Self-Defense Force, the civil runway, and the U.S. Air Force. There is also the Misawa Aviation & Science Museum where various exhibitions and events related to aviation are on display.
"Surf clam" can be caught a lot around the Sabisiro coast, and as the surf clam bowl is becoming a new food of Misawa, many people visit just to eat it.
Misawa City was also home to Shuji Terayama, a man of great culture, that had many talents such as stage director and writer. There is a Museum in his name located at the Misawa Citizens' Forest, many of his great achievements are on display.
Oirase town which is located along the course of the Oirase River has received many blessings from its location. The river provides nutrition for agriculture and the local fishery. The river pours into the Pacific Ocean along the Momoishi coast area and is a great spot to fish for the surf clam that has become famous for its deliciousness. Moreover, the Oirase Salmon Festival where the salmon are caught by hand is becoming popular among locals and visitors alike.
The Maidenhair Tree (Ichou tree) park has the largest Statue of Liberty in Japan.

*This article was written in 2010.

Spot information　-----------------------------------------------

　Art & Culture

◇Shuji Terayama Museum
This Museum was built to preserve and exhibit articles left by Shuji Terayama. They were donated by his mother Ms. Hatsu to Misawa City. It was opened in July, 1997 based on the design by an intimate friend Mr. Kiyoshi Awatsu with the advice of many people associated with Terayama such as Mr. Kyouko Kujou, member of Tenjousajiki Theatrical Company. The exhibition building of about 833 square meters in the floor space and the foyer building are connected by a passageway. The external area is reminiscent of the wall clock that appears as a prop in Terayama’s plays and movies when seen from the sky. On the wall outside the foyer building are shelves for 149 pieces of earthenware. They are boards that contain messages from thirty people who had been close to him and other boards based on his work. The museum plays a part as the base from which his art and the all of art of Misawa City are displayed.

◇Oyama Shougi Museum
The museum exhibits various Shougi materials from local expert Yasuharu Ooyama an honored townsman, and is a facility where the depth and the interest of Shougi can be experienced.

page top

　History & Tradition

◇Misawa-shi Memorial Hall for Forerunners
The memorial hall was built to admire those who contributed to the development of this region.

◇Sabishiro coast
A lot of brave pilots took flight by airplane from this ground to cross the Pacific Ocean including the Miss Veedol at the beginning of the Showa era.

◇Kibi Shinto shrine
Kizakino ranch was the largest ranch of the Morioka Nanbu clan, located in the northern part of Oirase town during the Edo era. Kibi Shinto shrine now stands as a memorial to the ranch and has become famous as the shrine where a horse is enshrined.

　Natural Scenery

◇Odauchi Marsh
The Odauchi marsh in Misawa citizens' forest is a reservoir of 3m in depth and 2km in area. It is the water source for one of the ten brand-name spring waters of Aomori Prefecture..

◇Shimoda park
Shimoda Park is known for the swans that visit the lake. Magidutsumi is familiar place for many people to rest.

◇The Statue of Liberty
The symbol of Oirase Town is the Statue of Liberty. Oirase Town is located at the same latitude as New York and the statue was built one quarter size of the original statue because of the number “4” as it pertains to the latitude of 40°40" north.

page top

　Activities & Experience

◇Misawa Aviation & Science Museum Aomori
Science show and Workshop in which children experience various science phenomena are on display.

◇Lakeside resort
Ogawarako lakeside resort is open during the summer months. The lake is quite shallow and the waves are clam here. Everyone young and old can relax and enjoy this area..

◇Ogawara lake side campground
Located next to the lake this campground offers the opportunity to set up camp among the trees and enjoy the lakeside resort.

◇Misawa car camping site
This convenient campground provides campers with a parking space for their vehicle right next to a campsite. The site has a clean community kitchen and restroom facilities. Kids will have hours of fun playing numerous pieces of park equipment. This is a safe park because only campers are allowed to enter the park.

◇Nikawame seaside park
A free car camping site, nestled in the pine woods, is located here with a great view of the Pacific Ocean.

page top

　Sightseeing facility

◇”Tonan-han” Memorial museum
It is a facility where a vast site that includes a memorial hall for our forerunners, a small zoo, a go cart track, battery car, putt-putt golf course, the wagonette, and much more. Tonan-han is open during the day.

◇Agurinosato Oirase (Hometown of Agriculture)
In the sightseeing farm called 'Agurinosato Oirase' they sell fresh vegetables and fruits grown by local farmers from the southern district of the prefecture.

◇Kawayo green ranch
Wide spread green lawn with a 360 degree view, and fresh air. The Kawayo Green Ranch has the feel of a ranch in Northern Europe..

page top

Events & Festivals　---------------------------------------------

　Spring

◇American day
This festival boasts numerous American themed events and entertainment. It is held around the Misawa City Office down to the Misawa Base Main Gate area. This festival brings a feeling of America to the area.

　Summer

◇Misawa Tanabata Matsuri festival
It is the Star Festival held on the arcade shopping street. Many Tanabata decorations hang all over the place for the entire length of the street. Also, there are many events including Hip Hop Live and a Street Dance Contest Residents from the local area along with many people from the Air Base attend this exciting festival.

　Autumn

◇Misawa base Air show
It is the largest air show in Northern Japan which the U.S. military and the Air Self Defense Force participate.

◇Miss Veedol Cup -Tobe Tobe (Flying) Contest --
This event is a competition for the longest flight duration for handmade paper airplanes. This is an annual dedication to the famous Miss-Veedol flight. People are encouraged to participate and all materials are provided.