数年前の大寒の時期、青森市の西北部に位置する油川（あぶらかわ）漁港を訪ねた。
時刻は朝７時ごろ、気温は氷点下５℃。寒中には珍しく風がない冬晴れの朝で、海面は薄氷で覆われていた。もちろん波もないので、鏡のような水面には、彩り鮮やかな朝焼けの空が映り込み、そこに八甲田も逆さにぼんやりと浮かぶ。遠くには小さく１羽の白鳥が、茜色した水面を滑るように泳いでいた。
油川漁港には、それまでも野鳥観察のために何度か足を運んでいたが、このような叙情的な光景を目にしたのは、後にも先にもこの時限りである。
油川は、このような自然景観もさることながら、歴史的にもなかなか興味深い土地柄である。
やはり港の存在が、強みであったようだ。江戸時代には、近江商人が移り住み、酒造業などを営んで、豪商も多数輩出したとか。今では、『田酒』（でんしゅ）で有名な西田酒造１軒のみだが、その建物は木造のこみせ構えで、歴史と風格を漂わせている。
そのそばに建つ石碑も歴史を物語る。ここはかつて、羽州街道（福島県桑折─油川間約500㎞）の終点であり、松前街道（油川─三厩間約60㎞）の起点。かの石碑は、そのことを今に伝えているのである。
飛行場まであったというのだから驚かされる。旧青森飛行場は、昭和８（1933）年に民間飛行場として開港、同20年に閉鎖されている。現在は、油川市民センターの敷地内に、当時の門標などが展示されている。
ついこの間までは、大正期にイタリア人の実業家が建てた赤レンガの洋館もあった。
地区には、けっこうな数の神社仏閣もある。小洒落たイタリアンの店や寿司店もある。夏には町内のねぶた祭も──散策すれば、今に昔にと、出合いは多い。
写真説明（上から順に）
① 油川漁港、寒中の朝焼け
② かつての羽州街道と松前街道の合流地点を示す石碑と解説板
③ 旧油川飛行場の門標を使用した記念碑
Photo Essay: 100 Images of Aomori, Part 9
(Photo and text by Masayuki Yamauchi, editor, based in Aomori City)
Aburaｋawa, Aomori City: Landscape of the past and present
Several years ago, during the cold season, I visited the fishing port of Aburakawa, located in the northwest part of Aomori City.
It was around 7:00 in the morning, and the temperature was 5 degrees below zero. It was a sunny winter morning with no wind, which is rare in the cold season, and the surface of the sea was covered with thin ice. There were no waves, of course, so the mirror-like surface of the water reflected the colorful morning glow of the sky, with Hakkoda floating vaguely in the background. In the distance, a small swan swam as if gliding on the surface of the water.
I had been to Aburaｋawa fishing port several times before to observe wild birds, but this was the only time I ever saw such a lyrical scene.
Aburaｋawa is not only interesting for its natural scenery, but also for its history.
It seems that the presence of a port was one of its strengths. In the Edo period (1603-1868), Omi merchants moved to the area and engaged in the sake brewing business, which produced many wealthy merchants. Today, there is only one sake brewery, Nishita Shuzo, famous for its "Denshu" (rice wine), but its wooden building is full of history and character.
The stone monument standing beside it also tells of its history. This was once the end point of the Ushu Highway (about 500 km between Koori and Aburakawa in Fukushima Prefecture) and the starting point of the Matsumae Highway (about 60 km between Aburakawa and Minmaya). The stone monument tells us that this is the case today.
It is surprising to know that there was even an airfield. The former Aomori Aerodrome opened as a civilian airfield in 1933, and closed in 1933. Currently, the gate markers from those days are on display in the grounds of the Aburakawa Civic Center.
Until recently, there was also a red brick Western-style building built by an Italian businessman in the Taisho era.
There are also quite a few shrines and temples in the area. There are also fashionable Italian restaurants and sushi bars. In the summer, there is also the Nebuta Festival in the town... If you take a stroll, you will encounter many things from the past and present.
Photo Description (from top to bottom)
1) Aburakawa fishing port, morning glow in the cold
2) A stone monument and an explanatory board showing the confluence point of the former Ushu Kaido and Matsumae Kaido.
3) A monument made from the gate markers of the former Aburakawa Airfield.
