COME LEARN ABOUT MUTSU CITY, A UNIQUE SIGHTSEEING TREASURE OF NORTHERN JAPAN

JR East Los Angeles is very pleased to announce a unique tourism event at Japan House in mid-October. The mayor of Mutsu City, the northernmost city on the island of Honshu, will be making a presentation about the culinary and scenic attractions of Mutsu and the area around it. JR East provides convenient and fast Shinkansen and local train access to Mutsu so we are of course very happy to support this event.

Mutsu is located on the Shimokita Peninsula that sticks out into the Tsugaru Strait separating Honshu and Hokkaido. The Mutsu area is very famous for its fishing industry, especially scallops, and bluefin tuna from nearby Oma. The latter is considered the finest sushi tuna in the world. In warmer seasons it is even possible to take fishing boat tours. One oddity are the summertime “squid races” in the town of Shimofuro. Dining in Mutsu is truly dining at the source, and at the Japan House event you will get to try Mutsu scallops and salmon, along with sake or wine. Kampai!

Another major attraction of Mutsu is Osore-zan, an eight-peaked volcanic mountain. By a lake in the mountain caldera sits Bodai-ji Temple, founded in 862, and one of the three most sacred temples in Japan. It is traditionally thought to be the entrance to the underworld and the sulfurous smoke that emanates from around the mountain certainly adds to the eerie, yet beautiful, atmosphere. Bodai-ji also has hot spring baths (onsen) that are free to visitors. In summer and autumn there are major festivals associated with the temple. Mutsu is accessible through the major city of Aomori, itself famous for the huge summer festival of Nebuta.

Please take advantage of this unique opportunity: Mutsu is well-known to Japanese people, but an undiscovered gem for foreign visitors. If you would like to attend, please contact us. We hope to see you there.

Time:                     October 17, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Place:                   Japan House  

                              6801 Hollywood Boulevard,  Level 5 

                                 https://www.japanhousela.com/

Contact:             Ayumi Utagawa

                                 If you would like to attend, please contact Ayumi Utagawa utagawa@japanrail.com by Wednesday, September 25.