Misawa Air Show 09

People were laying mats on the ground to sit and relax while waiting for the Thunderbirds



Aircraft display


People lined up to buy Anthony's Pizza


C-17 demonstration


Japan's Blue Impulse Demonstration


Blue Impulse


US Air Force's Thunderbirds


Thunderbirds

Humongous Lens LOL


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Last Sunday, Oct. 18 was the Misawa Air Fest 09 held in Misawa Air Base which was jam-packed by Japanese people who came from different places as far as Tokyo. It was estimated that 250,000 people watched the air show. It took us 40 minutes to get to the base from our house off-base which normally takes 12 to 15 minutes only without traffic. My husband was too hesitant to go to the air show because of the anticipated long hour traffic (he hates traffic). But since I wanted to go and I knew this is just one’s in a lifetime opportunity to see Thunderbirds perform in Misawa (since we missed them in Hawaii when they performed in 2007) so I won the battle, I was able to convince him hehehe. We left at 10am, I didn’t push my husband to wake up early lol, we ate breakfast before we left because I knew the traffic would be bad so we might as well eat first before we travel (so he won’t be mad too LOL). Finally, we arrived there at around 10:40am, for me it’s not that bad compared with the Japanese people waiting in line at the gate, a lot of people were walking wearing their high heels some were carrying ladders, chairs and humongous lens. It was too late to see the parachute demonstration, at least we got to see the Blue Impulse before the Thunderbirds' performance. During Blue Impulse demonstration it was a bit cloudy but when the Thunderbirds performed the sun really did cooperate with them. It was a bright and sunny! See my pictures and check the difference.

I noticed that Japanese were eager to see the airshow as well as to buy the American Foods . I saw a long line of Japanese trying to buy Anthony’s Pizza and buy cakes from different organizations on base.

The Air Force Thunderbirds and the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force Blue Impulse were the main attraction of the show. There was also a demonstration from C-17 Globemaster III. After the Thunderbirds performed we already left the flight line, we didn’t get to see the F-16 performed. We knew it would be a long line of waiting again going home so we decided to leave early and by 2:40pm (it took us 40 minutes again) we finally got home safe and didn’t notice the rain poured after the air show because we got tired and slept the whole afternoon :-)

Takko Garlic and Beef Festival

The main venue- Takko Town, the 229 Dome


Barbecue Grill Place



My hubby and me (at last I posted my photo LOL) , we are trying to cook fried rice too hahaha


The food- Takko beef with garlic, garlic sauce and vegetables



Japanese teenagers assigned to clean up the barbecue grills after use



Food Stall selling garlic and other vegetables


The Duck Jumper/bouncer (?) for kids



garlic gift basket :-)


Look at the t-shirt that the man was wearing, at first glance I thought it's "you tube" but actually it's "Yoku Tabe" LOL

The post's lamp is also shaped like garlic :-)


Goodbye Takko Town

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Takko Garlic and Beef Festival

This festival was held last Oct 3 and 4, the 24th annual Galic and Beef Festival in Takko Town, an hour and a half drive from Misawa AB. We went Saturday, Oct 3rd and the day was pretty nice, sunny and bright :-) The main event of this festival is the yakiniku party or barbecue your own beef and vegetables with other people or with your friends.

We didn't buy the tickets from ITT's Misawa Air Base since they were sold out fast but still we decided to see the festival (and thinking that we can't participate in the barbecue) even by just watching the shows. Fortunately, we were able to buy the beef and vegetables in the festival. Good thing we didn't follow the advertisement from the base that according to their ads "you cannot participate in the barbecue party if you don't buy advance tickets (~$23/ticket) from the base's ITT". Well, we had fun barbecuing the beef with garlic and vegetables :-) withoout the advance tickets :-) and we paid only around 3000 yen (~$34) for 2 packages of beef and 1 pack of vegetables.

We arrived around 1pm already a little bit late but we found a lot of vacant barbecue grills. We didn't able to watch the shows but we were satisfied with the food we ate while listening to the band's performance (Sorry I don't know the name of the band we were so hungryyy that time LOL).

After the barbecue we went to different food stalls and checked what they were selling. I bought garlic and garlic sauce and my kids bought cotton candy, choco banana, tako yaki and churritos :-)

We didn't stay longer in the event after buying some stuff we headed to Miroku Falls.

Lake Towada

Kayaks


Duck and dinosaur paddle boats

islet in Lake Towada

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Lake Towada

Towada- ko or Lake Towada is an hour and a half drive from Misawa Air Base. This is the largest lake in Honshu island (main state). It is located at the boundary of Aomori and Akita prefectures, in the Towada-Hachimantai National Park and is one of Tohoku's most popular attraction.

There are lots of activities here in Lake Towada that you can try, you can hike, ride and paddle the duck or dinosaur boat, there is also kayaking and a ferry boat where you can ride and tour around the lake which I never tried yet.