Kitakami

Kitakami, a relatively unremarkable town on the Shinkansen line, is home to a large cluster of business hotels (hotels that are cheap and basic designed for business people who have overnight trips), and a lot of empty looking shops.  We had a dinner at an izakaya specializing in fish - it was good, but reminded me that shellfish that curl are wasted on me.....     The claim to fame of the city  is the Kitakami river, lined with cherry trees, and  strings of carp streamers that fly over the river in early May to celebrate children's day. 

Cherry trees by the Kitakami river

Carp streamers through the cherry trees

Down stream