Wassamu, Hokkaido Apr.12, 2024
Shiokari Pass, Memorial house and Morumen Noodle at Himawari
One of my favorite books Ayako Miura wrote is “Shiokari Toge” or Shiokari Pass. She wrote the story of a man who died in the railway accident near the station on September 5th, 1916. The last car of the train Nagano is riding got disconnected from the rest of the cars by accident and begin to run away. He tried to stop the car by the hand-brake in vain. He throw himself on the track and died under the car in an attempt to save passengers from derailment. He was a young railway employee and devoted Christian. The author wrote about Self-sacrifice and how man should live under the character of Nobuo Nagano. The title was named from the mountain pass where the accident happened.
Shiokari Pass Station is about 40 minutes by local train from JR Asahikawa Station. I took a train at 12:30 from Shin-Asahikawa Station after having lunch at Ramen shop Himawari, whose signature dish is “Moru-men”, a hot ramen dish with stewed organ meat. The single car train was moving through snow covered fields and started climbing slowly before you know it. I found the area was completely covered by snow when I got off at Shiokari Station, where no station employee was one. It is completely silent except noise of vehicles occasionally coming from the nearby road.
With a few minute walk from the station, there is Shiokari Toge Memorial House. At a slightly elevated ground from the rail track stands Shiokari Toge memorial house. The house was a former house of Mr. and Mrs. Miura. She ran a grocery store on the first floor of the house and they lived on the second floor. The title “Hyoten” or Freezing point was written on the house. She opens the store in the day and writes the story in the night after she closes the store for a year in order to apply for the newspaper company’s competition. The house has been used as a museum to display materials on her books since it was removed from Asahikawa. Furniture they actually used is displayed in the rooms to reproduce the author’s life in the 1960s. Furniture, ornaments, stationery, clothes on a hanger, magazines, candies in the store…Those remind me of my childhood.
I spent about two hours there. There is about an hour or so before the train to Asahikawa comes. After I bought some souvenirs like Karinto fried cookies and book marks at the house, I decided to leave and walk around the station though there is nothing special to see. The train station has been on the verge of abolition. The town of Wassamu is petitioning the railway company not to close down the station as it is their important resources of tourism. I learned Shiokari Toge is a popular place for Sakura Cherry blossoms in the season. The area at Early May turns to Sakura color with the blossoms and come alive with people. There is walking trails around, which are completely under snow now. I would like to come back again to see the area and visit the house by train. I took a train at 17:15, the train got clouded with commuters at Pippu station. I returned to Asahikawa Station around 18:00. I headed straight to a Seico mart, a local convenience store near the station and bought some for dinner to have at the room. I was completely exhausted and did not want to eat out. It was needless to mention I slept like a baby that night.
I wrote that I ate lunch at Ramen shop Himawari before coming to Shiokari. I walked from Asahikawa station toward Ushubetsu River for some 30 minutes. The shop’s signature dish is “Morumen” a ramen with stewed organ meat and vegetable. I learned about the shop through a informative TV program before. I visited the restaurant by car last October. But I gave up as the parking lot in the front was clouded and no other parking lots are nearby. This time I came there by walk around 11 o’clock. I found it was crowded with customers. Every staff was very polite and kind to every customer. It looks loved by local people. After waiting for some 30 minutes before seated, I ordered the Morumen, a standard dish. I liked the thin and firm noodle with savory soup. The organ meat has soft texture and no distinctive smell of the meat. I ate them up. I had good time with good food. I want to visit again and try a Morumen Karaino, a bit hot version, next time.