Itayanagi

Moving right along with the place intros, we come to Itayanagi (板柳). The 2 characters are "board" and "willow". Who thought up these names? There's got to be a reason. Maybe I can find someone who knows. Perhaps my wife's sister Ruth and her husband Martin (Ghent) know, as they have lived there for 14 years, serving in the church pictured in "Rabbit's busy day". So, what is Itayanagi famous for? That one's easy: apples.

This very un-brilliant photo is of the apple market in Itayanagi, taken through an apple orchard. The orchards are everywhere, crowding right up to the edge of the town. On the right of the photo are piles of pallets- yes, 15 feet high- ready for the mountain of apples that will pour in when fall comes. That is, if we have a good year. If we don't have a good year, the Aomori economy takes a dive. Many other towns are full of orchards, too. Hardware stores are stocked with ladders, sprays, tools and packing materials. There are several box factories. Shops carry all kinds of apple pastries and jams and you-name-it. If the farmers have a good year, ALL the stores and businesses have a good year. If not- not.
Apples were introduced to the area by a missionary named John Eng, in the late 1800's. Since then, local research centers have developed a number of Japanese varieties, including my all-time favorite, Fuji. You may have seen them in stores. The ones they grow here are HUGE, thanks to intensive cultivation and care.
Right now there are only "storage apples" left- yuk. They taste like the inside of a fridge (as that's where they have been for months). The one redeeming factor of late fall here is the arrival of the new crop of Fuji apples. It makes winter's onset almost bearable.