The most famous hot springs in Tsugaru are Asamushi Hot Springs, perhaps, followed by Owani Hot Springs. Owani is close to the southern edge of Tsugaru and close to the prefectural boundary with Akita. More than hot springs, Tsugaru is known throughout Japan for its ski resorts. The hot springs are in the foothills of the mountains where the faint scent of the history of the Tsugaru clan lingers. My immediate family often came to this hot springs region to take the hot-spring cure. Although I also played there as a child, no memories as clear as those of Asamushi remain. I have many vivid memories of Asamushi but, at the same time, can't easily convey those memories. Nevertheless, my recollections of Owani are dear to me despite being hazy. Is it the difference between the sea and the mountains? I have not seen Owani Hot Springs for close to twenty years. Looking at it now, does it feel like a town ashamed of being given the leftovers of a city like Asamushi. I cannot give up on that town. Compared to Asamushi, traveling from Tokyo to Owani is a pain.
First of all, Owani is my last hope. The closest town to this hot springs is Ikarigaseki. It was a checkpoint between Tsugaru and Akita in the age of the former fief. Thus, this area has many historic landmarks. The way of life of the people of Tsugaru remains, has deep roots, and will not be easily brushed aside by city ways. Furthermore, the great last hope is Hirosaki Castle, which is seven miles north of here, and, even now, the castle tower remains. It is surrounded by cherry blossoms every spring and boasts of excellent health. I'd like to believe that as long as Hirosaki Castle remains, Owani Hot Springs will not sip the drippings of a city and descend into a drunken frenzy.
Hirosaki Castle lies at the center of the history of the Tsugaru clan. The founder of the Tsugaru clan, Oura Tamenobu, supported the Tokugawa clan in the Battle of Sekigahara. In Keicho year 8 (1603), by proclamation of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, he became a noble with forty-seven thousand koku under the Tokugawa shogunate and immediately began to plot the boundary of the castle moat in Hirosaki-Takaoka. Hirosaki Castle was finally completed at the start of the reign of the second generation daimyo Tsugaru Nobuhira. Successive generations of daimyo were based in Hirosaki Castle. At the time of the fourth generation Nobumasa, Nobuhide was made to form a branch family in Kuroishi. The family was split into the two clans of Hirosaki and Kuroishi, and ruled Tsugaru. Despite Hidemasa's reputation gained in Tsugaru of the good governance and his being a star among the seven wise rulers of the Genroku era, which has been sung about, great famines during Houreki and Tenmei during the seventh generation Nobuyasu transformed all of Tsugaru into a gruesome hell. And the clan's finances plunged into extreme poverty. In the midst of dire prospects, the eight generation Nobuaki and the ninth generation Yasuchika desperately planned the restoration of the clan's power. At the time of the eleventh generation Yukitsugu, catastrophe had been narrowly avoided. In the age of the twelfth generation of Tsuguakira, the daimyo's fief was auspiciously restored to the emperor and gave birth to the present-day Aomori Prefecture. That is a brief overview of the circumstances of the history of Hirosaki Castle and the history of Tsugaru. I intend to describe more about Tsugaru's history later. For now, I will write a bit about my recollections of Hirosaki and tie them to this introduction of Tsugaru.
I spent three years in the castle town of Hirosaki. During those years, I studied the literature course at Hirosaki High School. At the time, I suspected the course mainly consisted of gidayu recitations for puppet theater. It was very strange. On the way home from school, I'd stop by the home of a woman teacher of gidayu. The first time, the puppet theater play was probably The Diary of the Morning Glory or something like that, I can't remember. Other plays like The Village of Nozaki, Tsubozaka, and Kamiji are burned into my memory. Why do I begin with something so strange and out of character? I don't think the full responsibility lies with the city of Hirosaki, but I'd like Hirosaki to accept a speck of responsibility.
Gidayu was mysteriously popular in this town. Sometimes amateurs held gidayu recitals in the town's theaters. Once, I went to listen, but the town patrons wore kamishimo ceremonial samurai dress and gave solemn recitations of the gidayu. Not one of them was adept but they spoke from their hearts without being the least bit pretentious and gave thoughtful recitations. From long ago, few men of refined taste seemed to inhabit Aomori City. However, they were cunning men who practiced the short love songs only to elicit, "Oh, you are so good," from the geisha or to use their refined behaviors as weapons of government and business policies. I think these pitiful patrons, who easily broke into heavy perspiration to study a vapid traditional art, often appear in Hirosaki City.
In other words, true dummies still live in Hirosaki. The following words are written in the ancient writings of war chronicles called Eiki Gunki.
The hearts of the people of the two provinces of Mutsu and Dewa are foolish and do not know how to submit to
