Exploring Hidden Japan: Aomori Travel Guide

The northernmost prefecture of Japan’s main island, Honshu, Aomori, offers an incredible escape from the beaten tourist track, with its diverse culture and stunning natural scenery. Surrounded by the ocean on three sides, the region offers sprawling coastlines, towering mountains, and peaceful lakes, making it the perfect outdoor escape. Once home to the Neolithic Jomon people, Aomori also provides a glimpse of Japan’s past through the rich history and culture passed down by generations.

What To See

The Hakkoda Ropeway is an accessible (and comfortable) way to explore Aomori’s stunning nature in Towada-Hachimantai National Park. The cable cars, which operate year-round and convert to carry skiers up the slopes in the winter, offer panoramic views of Mt. Hakkoda and are particularly beautiful in the fall. On clear days, you can even see all the way to Hokkaido from the cable car station at the top of the mountain.

Known for its picturesque scenery, Lake Towada’s waters capture a breathtaking reflection of the neighboring Mt. Towada. While the views can be enjoyed from the shoreline, visitors are recommended to book a boat tour or rent canoes to better appreciate them, especially when the fall foliage is at its peak. 

Extending 14 km from Lake Towada, the Oirase Gorge traverses a river valley and is home to several scenic hiking trails that wind through the surrounding woods. The trails are a favorite momiji-gari (fall foliage viewing) spot for locals and also guide hikers past several impressive waterfalls.

Tanbo art, which uses various colored rice plants carefully arranged in the fields to create living murals, is a specialty of Inakadate Village. While the best viewing times for this rice paddy art are in the fall, the village also offers tours and experiences where visitors can immerse themselves in rice farming culture while learning to plant, harvest, and process rice.

Looking to explore the spiritual side of Aomori? Takayama Inari Shrine, which has been nicknamed “the Fushimi Inari of the north”, is a popular stop for locals and tourists alike with its over 200 torii gates. The scarlet gates, as well as several arched bridges, wind their way through the shrine’s peaceful gardens and beautifully contrast the seasonal flowers. Dedicated to good harvests, safety at sea, and prosperous business, the shrine is especially popular with farmers, sailors, and merchants.

What To Do

One of the most popular festivals in all of Japan, the Nebuta Festival originates in Aomori. The fire festival, which showcases giant paper lantern floats based on mythical stories, takes place in August, with the largest festival in Aomori City running between August 2nd and 7th. Several other iterations are held in towns and cities across the prefecture as well. The floats, which can be as tall as 23 meters (75 ft), are accompanied by taiko drum performances, flutists, and haneto dancers as the parades travel through the city. Visitors can even rent haneto costumes and join the festivities!

If you’re unable to visit during festival season, you can still enjoy the wonders of Nebuta year-round by visiting the Nebuta Wa Rasse Museum. The museum houses a permanent display of past floats and educates visitors on the festival's origins as well as the craftsmanship of the floats. You can also try your hand at learning festival drumming and dancing with the interactive games and videos in the museum.

For those looking to learn more about the area’s unique culture and history, a visit to the Sannai Maruyama Archeological Site is a must. One of the largest archeological sites in Japan, the site contains the remains of a Jomon settlement built roughly 5500 to 4000 years ago. In addition to viewing the artifacts and site, visitors can learn firsthand about Jomon culture by creating Jomon-inspired crafts at the visitor center.

Unwind from a busy day of exploring by visiting Sukayu Onsen. These mountain hot springs have been used by locals for over 300 years and have now become a popular stop for hikers and skiers. While the onsen is famous for its 1,000-person co-ed beech wood bath, it also offers separate baths, an on-site restaurant, and ryokan-style lodging.

What To Eat

While the entire prefecture is well known for its high-quality apples, the city of Hirosaki has taken it to the next level. Hirosaki Apple Park’s orchards contain over 2,300 apple trees from about 80 varieties. From August to mid-November, you can partake in a pick-your-own experience while enjoying views of Mt. Iwaki in the distance. The park also sells over 1,200 apple-based products, including pies, cider, sundaes, and even curry. The city has also curated an apple pie guide with over 50 local varieties from local producers to help visitors discover the perfect pie.

Surrounded by the ocean, it is no wonder that Aomori produces incredible seafood dishes. Ichigo-ni, a sea urchin and abalone soup, is seasoned with soy sauce and shiso leaf and is commonly enjoyed around the New Year holidays. Meanwhile, kaiyaki miso, a type of scallop omelet topped with miso and green onions and served on the half shell, can be enjoyed year-round at local izakaya and restaurants.

The town of Oma, which lies along the Tsugaru Strait, is nicknamed “the tuna capital of Japan” and is famous for its massive bluefin tuna. The tuna, which grow to be as big as 200 to 300 kilograms, are said to have the perfect ratio of fat and are used in numerous local specialties, including tuna burgers, maguro-infused soy sauce, and even tuna curry.

Regional Crafts To Buy

Crafted from Aomori’s abundance of beech trees, bunaco wood art is made by forming thin strips of the flexible wood into rolled coils, which are then formed by hand into the final product. Bunaco techniques are used to craft everything from boxes and lamps to bowls and kitchen utensils. Some local workshops also offer lessons that allow you to craft your own bunaco.

Kogin-Zashi and Nanbu Hishi Zashi are two forms of local sashiko stitching techniques. Once used to help reinforce coarse fabric and create warmer clothes for the region’s harsh winters, the nature-inspired geometric designs can now be found on everything from coin purses and bags to coasters and hair ornaments.

Kokeshi dolls, which are handcrafted wooden dolls finished with lacquer, were once seen only as children’s toys but have now become collectors’ items. The Nuruyu kokeshi dolls, local to Aomori’s Tsugaru region, are distinguished by their curvy shape and carefully arched eyebrows.

About the author: 

Nadine Pryor

Nadine first became interested in Japan and Japanese culture after working with an exchange program at her university. After hearing so many wonderful things from the exchange students she worked with she was longing for a chance to see Japan for herself. That opportunity came to her in the form of the JET program where she spent 5 years on a small island in the beautiful prefecture of Okinawa. While living in this very rural community of just under 1,300 people she was lucky to experience a glimpse into some of Okinawa’s unique traditions and culture. In her free time, she traveled the main island of Japan as well as eastern Asia, seeking out the most delicious foods and exciting experiences. She currently resides in the United States but hopes to return to Japan in the future.