Aomori City, the capital of Aomori Prefecture, has abundant beautiful nature, such as the Hakkōda mountain ranges and Mutsu Bay. Stunning scenery can be adorned throughout the year, and in fall, it is the time to find out your favorite kinds of apples! The city also holds one of Japan’s representative festivals. Moreover, it has a couple of important historical sites for visitors to experience the precious culture and history recorded in this northernmost prefecture in the Tōhoku region.
If you are planning to visit Aomori on your upcoming Japan trip, grab a few attractions from the list below to enjoy the city’s charm!
Table of Contents
- The Museums in Aomori City
- A-FACTORY
- Aomori Prefecture Tourism Information Center ASPAM (青森県観光物産館アスパム)
- Utou Shrine (善知鳥神社)
- Aomori Museum of Art (青森県立美術館)
- Sannai Maruyama Special Historical Site (三内丸山遺跡)
- Gappo Park (合浦公園)
- Showa Daibutsu Buddha Statue (昭和大仏)
- Namioka Castle Ruins (浪岡城跡)
- Asamushi Onsen (浅虫温泉)
- Hakkōda Mountains (八甲田山)
- The Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants in Aomori City
- The Must-Try Local Specialties at Aomori City
- Festivals at Aomori
Tip: Daiwa Roynet Hotel Aomori is a great hotel close to Aomori Station if you plan to stay in the city.
Explore Aomori With a Guided Tour
If you prefer to be guided when you visit Aomori, how about joining one of the below tours?
- Aomori Highlights Tour from Aomori Port Using Public Transport
- Aomori Custom Part Day Tour
- 4-Hours Private Tour of Archaeological Site and Art Museum
- Aomori Full-Day Private Trip with Government-Licensed Guide
- Private Tour to Big Buddha and Nebuta Museum with Licensed Guide
- Half-Day Private Guided Japanese Hot Spring Experience
- Apple-Picking Taxi
How to Get to Aomori City
Other than driving, there are a few ways to get to Aomori.
By Train
To get to Aomori faster from other cities in Japan, taking the bullet train Hayabusa (はやぶさ) is most recommended.
- From Tokyo: around 3.25 hours
- From Sendai: around 1.75 hours
- From Morioka: around 45 minutes
- From Hachinohe: around 30 minutes
- From Hakodate: around an hour
From Hachinohe, you can also take the Aoimori Railway (青い森鉄道), but it takes around 1.5 hours.
If you come from Akita, it takes around 2.75 hours by limited express Tsugaru (つがる).
Tip: If you plan to take a bullet train from Tokyo to Aomori, refer to our article on The Best Seats on the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Hokkaidō for which side of the train has a better view!
A List of JR Passes that Covers Aomori Prefecture
Below is a list of JR passes covering Aomori Prefecture and other regions. Please keep in mind that depending on your itinerary, a JR pass may or may not be worthwhile for your trip. You can estimate the transportation cost using Google Maps and compare the total price to a JR pass.
- JR Pass (7-Day, 14-Day, or 21-Day)
- JR EAST PASS（Tohoku area）/ 5 Days
- JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass (6 Days)
By Airplane
Flying into Aomori is another option. But please note from Aomori Airport (青森空港) to Aomori Station, it takes around 40 minutes by bus.
- From Tokyo: around 1.5 hours
- From Osaka: around 1.75 hours
- From Sapporo: around 45 minutes
- From Nagoya: around 1.25 hours
Aomori Shuttle de Route Bus – Nebutan-gō (あおもりシャトルdeルートバス ねぶたん号)
Whether you are arriving at JR Aomori Station or JR Shin-Aomori Station, a convenient way to get around the attractions in the city center is by taking the sightseeing bus Nebutan-gō.
The only thing to watch out for if you want to ride this bus is the limited number of services. So, keep an eye on your time when you explore Aomori!
Refer to HERE for the timetable for the service.
The Bus Fare of Aomori Shuttle de Route Bus – Nebutan-gō
- Per ride:
- 300 yen for adults
- 150 yen for elementary school students
- 1-Day Pass
- 700 yen for adults
- 350 yen for elementary school students
- 2-Day Pass
- 800 yen for adults
- 400 yen for elementary school students
Tip: Get a 1-Day or 2-Day Bus Pass to save on transportation costs. With the ticket, you will also get discounts or souvenirs at major attractions the bus stops at! You can get the bus pass either on the bus or from the tourist information center from JR Aomori Station (at the east exit), JR Shin-Aomori Station (on the 2nd floor), or ASPAM’s information counter on the 1st floor.
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Aomori City.
The Museums in Aomori City
If you like to spend time in museums, Aomori is probably the best city to visit in the Tōhoku region. While a large part of the city is covered by nature, it surprisingly has many museums scattered throughout. Unlike Hirosaki, which is a 45-minute train ride away, Aomori has more variety. Whether you like contemporary art museums or something cultural or historical, you won’t be disappointed by the museums here!
For more information, refer to our article on The Museums in Aomori City!
A-FACTORY (エーファクトリー)
A-FACTORY 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!
For more information, refer to our A-FACTORY article!
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Aomori City.
Aomori Prefecture Tourism Information Center ASPAM (青森県観光物産館アスパム)
Another place close to Aomori Station where you can find plenty of local specialties is ASPAM. It is an equilateral triangle building imaging the “A” of Aomori.
The 15-story building is the base of the prefecture’s tourism information center. Apart from the souvenir corners, a 360 degrees 3D theater also showcases Aomori’s alluring scenery throughout the year.
At the activity corner, you can observe a craftsman demonstrating the Kogin Sashi (こぎん刺し), which is a type of embroidery technique used in the Tsugaru region. If you are interested, please refer to the list of menus HERE that you can choose from for the craftsman to make in front of you. You can translate the webpage to English by Google Chrome’s translation function at the right of the address bar.
The 13th floor of ASPAM is the observatory floor that gives you a clear view of the city center with the Hakkōda Mountains afar. When the sky isn’t cloudy, you might be able to see as far as Hakodate in Hokkaidō!
As a side note, ASPAM stands for Aomori, Sightseeing, Products, and Mansion. The second A in ASPAM is there, so when you pronounce it in English, it sounds like how a Japanese would produce it.
Aomori Prefecture Tourism Information Center ASPAM’s Opening Hours, Admission Fees, and Access Information
- The information center and souvenir shops are open from 9 am to 7 pm.
- The 3D theater is currently open from 10 am to 5:15 pm.
- The last show is at 5 pm.
- The observatory’s opening hours are currently shortened to 9 am to 7 pm.
- ASPAM is around an 8-minute walk from Aomori Station.
- If you are coming from JR Shin-Aomori Station, take the Nebutan-go (ねぶたん号) from bus stop no. 3 at the east exit
- The admission fee for the 3D theater and the observatory is
- Both facilities
- 850 yen for adults
- 650 yen for high school students
- 450 yen for elementary school students
- 3D theater
- 650 yen for adults
- 500 yen for high school students
- 350 yen for elementary school students
- Observatory
- 400 yen for adults
- 300 yen for high school students
- 200 yen for elementary school students
- Both facilities
Tip: Refer to the combo ticket information under Nebuta Museum WA RASSE’s admission fee section HERE to save.
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Aomori City.
Utou Shrine (善知鳥神社)
Utou Shrine is said to be the origin of Aomori City. Before the population of the city grew in the early days, the area was known as Utou Village (善知鳥村).
Utou is the Japanese name for Rhinoceros auklet. Back then, Aomori had a large Rhinoceros auklet colony (although none can be seen now). This was why the village was named Utou.
When the 19th Emperor of Japan – Ingyō (允恭天皇), was reigning in Japan from 410 to 453, the shrine was established as the guardian shrine of the village, and Sanjoshin (三女神) was enshrined here. She is the daughter of the top god of Japan – Amaterasu-Ōmikami (天照大神).
The first rebuild of the shrine on record was in 807. Since then, the shrine has suffered from fire hazards and has been damaged by wars. Fortunately, due to its pilgrims’ support, the shrines’ buildings could be repaired.
Utou Shrine also has a small but gorgeous garden with many carps and a few turtles swimming freely in the pond. When you walk by, they might even follow you (if they think they can get a feed from you, that is)!
In summer, the lotus flowers will bloom, making the pond more colorful and delightful.
If you want to feed the fish/turtles, check with the shrine’s office to see if they are still selling fish feed. But please refrain from feeding the birds.
The shrine is also known as the playground of Munakata Shikō (棟方 志功), who was a well-known painter in the Shōwa period (1926 – 1989).
As the shrine isn’t big, most people only spend around 15 minutes here.
Utou Shrine’s Opening Hours and Access Information
- The shrine can be accessed 24 hours a day. But the shrine office is only open from 9 am to 4 pm.
- From Aomori Station (青森駅), it is around a 10-minute walk.
- From ASPAM, it is less than a 10-minute walk.
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Aomori City.
Aomori Museum of Art (青森県立美術館)
If you like to spend time in art galleries and museums, take a bus to the Aomori Museum of Art.
The museum, which is on the ground of the Sannai Maruyama Special Historical Site (三内丸山遺跡), is one of the top art museums in the northern Tohoku region (another facility that goes hand in hand with it is the Towada Art Center in Towada City).
For more information about the fascinating artworks that the museum is exhibiting, please refer to our article on the Aomori Museum of Art!
Sannai Maruyama Special Historical Site (三内丸山遺跡)
While the world was panicking about the once-of-a-lifetime pandemic, in March 2021, Aomori Prefecture proudly welcomed another world heritage title.
The Sannai Maruyama Special Historical Site completely overturned the understanding of the Jōmon civilization, was registered as a part of Jōmon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (北海道・北東北の縄文遺跡群) as a World Heritage.
For more information about this World Heritage site, please refer to our article on the Sannai Maruyama Special Historical Site!
Gappo Park (合浦公園)
Seeking an off-the-beaten-path in Aomori for cherry blossom and autumn foliage scenery? Come to Gappo Park!
Gappo Park was first completed in 1894. In the middle of the park, there is also a strolling Japanese garden with a tea room called Gappo-tei (合浦亭). When the 670 cherry trees are blossoming (usually from mid to late April), the Aomori Spring Festival at Gappo Park is held. Temporary stalls will take care of your stomach, and underneath the cherry trees, lanterns will be set up during the festival period and lit up at night to prolong the amount of time you can adore the gorgeous scenery (*´ω｀).
Other than cherry blossoms, wisterias will also be blooming from mid-May to early June.
As a seaside park, the beach shore (the last two photos in the left IG post) is open for water activities in the summer from late July to late August. From late October to early November, the fall color in the park will be at its peak. No wonder the park was chosen to be one of the Top 100 Parks in the City in 1989!
Aomori Spring Festival Event Details
- From the 13th to the 29th of April in 2024.
- The information center is open from 8:30 am to 7 pm.
- Nighttime light-up is from 6 pm to 9:30 pm.
- For future events, you can refer to the official website HERE and translate it to English using Google Chrome’s translation function.
Tip: During the spring festival, check with the information center to see if they can still temporarily keep your belongings for you.
How to Get to Gappo Park
From Aomori Station’s (青森駅) bus stop no. 2, take services bound for the below destinations and get off at Gappo Park (Gappo Kōen, 合浦公園).
- Tōbu Eigyōjo (東部営業所)
- Asamushi Onsen-eki (浅虫温泉駅)
- Kenritsu Chūō Byōin (県立中央病院)
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Aomori City.
Showa Daibutsu (昭和大仏)
Away from the city center, Japan’s largest bronze sitting Buddha statue is quietly sitting in the precinct of Seiryū-ji Temple (青龍寺).
The statue of Vairocana (大日如来), built in 1984, has a weight of 220 tons and a height of 21.35 meters (27 meters if the pedestal is included). Compared to other Buddha statues, Showa Daibutsu has gorgeous decorations on his body.
In addition, if you are with a group of 5 or more, you can reserve to enjoy the vegetarian monk cuisine at the temple.
Refer to our Showa Daibutsu article for more information!
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Aomori City.
Namioka Castle Ruins (浪岡城跡)
A spot that is unlikely to be packed for cherry blossom is Namioka Castle Ruins. Just a couple of stations away from Aomori Station, the cherry trees will be blooming beautifully in early spring.
You can also snap a photo of cherry blossom with the snow-capped Mt. Iwaki, the Mt. Fuji in the Tsugaru region, as a backdrop!
The castle was built by Namioka Kitabatake (浪岡北畠) in the 1460s. The castle and its castle town reached their peak in the first half of the 16th century when communication with Kyoto was frequent. Many religious and cultural facilities were built at the time.
However, from 1562, the power of the Namioka clan started to decline originally due to conflicts within the clan. In 1578, the castle was taken down by Tsugaru Tamenobu (津軽為信). Since then, for around 400 years, the castle ruins were used to cultivate rice and other crops.
In February 1945, Namioka Castle Ruines became the first property designated as a National Historic Site in Aomori Prefecture. Then in April 2017, it was chosen to be one of the Top 100 Japanese Castles – Continued Version by the Japanese Castles Association.
The research that started In 1977 has excavated more than 50,000 relics such as tableware, cooking utensils, weapons, and religious tools. If you are interested, you can stop by the museum on its wide ground of 136,300 square meters.
Namioka Castle Ruins’ Opening Hours and Access Information
- The Information Center is open from 9 am to 4 pm daily except Mondays and the 3rd Sunday.
- If Monday is a public holiday, it will close on the next business day.
- It closes from December to March.
- Entry is free.
- It is a 30-minute walk from JR Namioka Station (浪岡駅).
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Aomori City.
Asamushi Onsen (浅虫温泉)
When you arrive at Aomori, if you are looking for a destination where you can enjoy the nice hot springs of Japan, indulge in abundant negative ions in the forest, and some magnificent ocean views, take a short train ride to Asamushi Onsen, northeast of Aomori’s city center!
For more information, please refer to our article on Asamushi Onsen (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ
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Hakkōda Mountains (八甲田山)
Hakkōda Mountains (八甲田山) – a collective name of 16 peaks is known for some of the most breath-taking natural scenery in the country. Not letting the fame of one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains down, as you trek through the mountain trails, you will definitely be amazed by the astonishing views along the way no matter which season of the year you visit it!
For more information, please refer to our article on Hakkōda Mountains (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
The Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants in Aomori City
- Ootoya (大戸屋)
- Ootoya also has a restaurant in Aomori’s city center. Check with the staff to see which main menu they can remove meat and seafood.
- You can also choose to order a couple of entry dishes to make it like tapas.
- Taji
- An Indian restaurant with a vegan curry option (Dal and Chana curry).
- The naan contains eggs and milk that can’t be removed.
- Vege Cafe Chamama
- A best vegetarian restaurant in Aomori. It has a cozy and welcoming atmosphere.
- The menu is alliums-free, but remember to check with the staff if that is still the case when you visit.
- Although it isn’t in the city center, it is worth the effort to travel to Vege Cafe Chamama for their amazing and satisfying lunch sets.
- The restaurant can accommodate vegan diet upon request.
- Kid menu is also available.
- Staff is friendly and helpful who provide great service.
The Must-Try Local Specialties at Aomori City
When you come to Aomori, if you aren’t as strict with your vegetarian diet and don’t mind seafood broth, here are the two dishes you must try!
Oden with Ginger-Infused Miso Paste (生姜味噌おでん)
Oden is a dish commonly found in Japan’s stalls and restaurants, especially in winter. It is a type of hot pot consisting of several ingredients such as eggs, radish, konjac, and processed fishcakes stewed in a light, soy-flavored dashi broth.
Unfortunately, it is still very hard to find an Oden cooked with only vegetarian ingredients and broth in Japan. But suppose you go to a stall or restaurant specialising in making Oden, you will be ordering each ingredient separately, making it easier only to order a bowl of Oden that only consists of vegetables, tofu, and mushrooms (obviously still cooked in seafood broth).
But if you are like us, who aren’t so strict with the diet when you travel, give the Oden dish a try in Aomori that comes with the special ginger-infused miso paste. The dish was only invented after World War Two mainly to keep the customers who were waiting to board the Seikan Ferry warm.
The taste is so nice that it has become a local specialty since then!
Miso Curry Milk Ramen (味噌カレー牛乳ラーメン)
The second dish special to Aomori is a bowl of miso-based ramen topped with curry powder and milk.
Again, the broth most likely contains seafood extracts. But, if that is okay with you, give the ramen a try!
The soup with an exquisite balance of curry, milk, and miso was invented by high school students!
When you head to a ramen restaurant, remember to ask them to exclude the Chashu pork or other meat and seafood that the restaurant has decided to put on top of the bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, and seaweed.
If you struggle with communication, you can utilize the phrases in our Essential Japanese Travel Phrases for Vegetarians and Vegans article.
Festivals at Aomori
Aomori Nebuta Festival (青森ねぶた祭)
From the 2nd to the 7th of August, one of the Three Great Festivals of Tōhoku (東北3大祭り) is held in Aomori City. The festival attracts as many as 3 million visitors to participate in this festival full of energy.
Many more large floats similar to the ones in Nebuta Museum WA RASSE will be parading around the city center. Also, on the last day of the festival, fireworks will be launched at the seashore of Aomori.
For more information, please refer to the official website HERE.
The other two Three Great Festivals of Tōhoku are the Akita Kantō Festival (竿燈まつり) and the Sendai Tanabata Festival (仙台七夕まつり), all taking place at the beginning of August each year.
Aomori Snow Light Festival (あおもり雪灯りまつり)
In the midst of freezing cold weather in Aomori, to make people feel a bit of warmth, the Aomori Snow Light Festival is an event where the citizens put their handmade lanterns and candles on the white snow to light up the cold winter nights.
The atmosphere created by the lighting of the lanterns and candles fascinates many visitors each year who stop by the event venue close to Nebuta Museum WA RASSE each year.
As a tourist, you can color and write your wishes on one of the candle holders and place it along with the lanterns made by the creative citizens of Aomori.
In 2024, the festival will be held on the 3rd of February from 5 pm to 9 pm.
Discover the Awesome Attractions in Hirosaki City Close by
Hirosaki City close to Aomori is another famous destination in the prefecture. Not only does the city produce the most apples in Japan, it is also the top cherry blossom spot in the Tōhoku region!
Refer to our Hirosaki City article for all the attractions that are worth your time!
