A-FACTORY (エーファクトリー) is a shopping complex opposite Nebuta Museum. The facility is filled with apple-themed products and has almost all of Aomori’s specialties. Located really close to Aomori Station, it is the perfect place for some last-minute souvenir shopping.
It is also a factory making apple cedar and soda . Through the glass panel, you can see the brewing process of cider. And don’t just stand there and look. Head to the Tasting Bar on the second floor to find out your favorite cedar!
Apart from apples, Aomori also produces the most garlic in Japan. The quality of the garlic from Takko Town (田子町) is very high. So you will find many nicely wrapped garlic products here as well.
The souvenir shop on the first floor has many products that you will struggle to decide what to buy. As most of them can’t be tasted on the spot, here are our recommendations.
Our Recommended Shopping List at A-FACTORY
- Apple tea bags
- Apple juice: squeezed from the whole apple keeping the original flavor of the apples nicely
- Snow-stored apple and the related products (Yuki chozō, 雪貯蔵): Basically, the apples were stored in the snow instead of in a fridge. Not sure what difference that makes, but the apples just taste more delicious
- Apple pie: full of the rich and nice fragrance of apples with a slight cinnamon scent
- Apple gelato: made from Aomori’s apple that you can taste the fiber
- Garlic crackers: if you like garlic, it will be hard to stop eating it
Tip: As the items in the shop can’t be tasted, what you can do instead is to buy the smaller bottle of juice/alcohol, and if you like it, you can bring more home (^_-)-☆.
Winter Events in Front of A-FACTORY
In winter, come to A-FACTORY at night. Instead of the stylist Christmas/winter lighting, around 500 lit-up snowmen made from Washi paper are placed in front of the facility.
The event is called Aomori Light and Paper Pageant (あおもり灯りと紙のページェント). The snowman lanterns are made with the same technique as the giant Nebuta floats. They all come from the hands of Aomori citizens, which is why each one of them is so unique!
- The 2023/2024 event was from the 15th of December 2023 to the 4th of February 2024.
- Refer to HERE for the official website in Japanese.
- Also, on the 3rd of February 2024, the Aomori Snow Light Festival (Aomori Yuki Akari Matsuri, あおもり雪灯りまつり) was on.
- Refer to HERE for the official website in Japanese.
A-FACTORY’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Business hours are from 9 am to 8 pm (individual shops/restaurants’ business hours can differ).
- It is less than a 5-minute walk from Aomori Station.
Find Out Where Else to Go in Aomori
Aomori City, the capital of Aomori Prefecture, has a wealth of beautiful nature, such as the Hakkōda mountain ranges and Mutsu Bay. Stunning scenery can be adorned throughout the year. In the fall, it is time to find out your favorite kinds of apples!
The city also has a couple of cultural heritages that allow you to enjoy a different side of Japanese culture.
For more information, please refer to our article on Aomori!
