Aomori City
Aomori City is the capital of Aomori prefecture, which is at the northern tip of Japan’s main Honshu island
Aomori is known for apples, fresh seafood, garlic, and more
I traveled up to Aomori prefecture in February 2021. Amongst the stops on the 3-night trip was Aomori city, the prefecture’s capital.
How to get there
We were dropped off by a shuttle provided to us by the hotel we stayed at the night before, Hoshino Resorts Oirase Keiryu Hotel. However, the Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train stops at Shin-Aomori Station, and can be caught from Tokyo Station.
There is also a (mainly domestic) airport located about a 35-minute drive outside the city center.
Shops around Aomori downtown
About Aomori
Aomori is a small city of less than 300,000 people. The city center has a quaint feel to it, and even the main station, Aomori Station, feels very local.
A few things that the city and prefecture as a whole is most known for apples, fresh fish (especially maguro, or tuna), and garlic.
Where we went
Because we were only there for half a day, we only made a few stops.
The first was catching a view of the Memorial Ship Hakkōda-maru and bay from the Aomori Labridge (MAP). On a sunny day, the view is especially beautiful. (Top image, or you can see it my video below)
Just nearby was our next stop.
Nebuta Warasse Museum
Nebuta Warasse Museum
The Nebuta Warasse Museum is dedicated to the local lantern float art. Large, illuminated floats that depict warriors and animals are marched around the city during the Nebuta Festival each summer, and this museum showcases this culture.
Taxi waiting
Like I mentioned, Aomori is known for fresh seafood, so of course, our main destination was lunch.
Where we ate
Aomori Gyosai Center
A food hall that focuses on Aomori’s “nokkedon”, which is a kaisendon, or bowl of fresh seafood on rice.
You buy scripts from a booth, pick up your bowl of rice, then browse vendors and purchase the fresh fish of your choice with the scripts. Vendors are mostly selling slices and individual servings, and they’ll place them into your bowl.
There are a few small tables where you can sit and enjoy your personalized meal.
Keep in touch:
Visiting the Furano area of Hokkaido in the summer, a popular tourist destination for Japanese