Aomori

Taxis are always available from the train station.

Buses: Go to the bus terminal outside the train station and tell the attendant at the city bus counter where you'd like to go. He or she will tell you which number bus stop to wait at, what time the bus will come, and where to get off. On city buses, you'll pay when you get off the bus.

The Nebutan-go shuttle bus runs clockwise and counter-clockwise circles stopping at both Aomori and Shin-Aomori Stations, the Prefectural Art Museum, and other tourist sites about once an hour during the morning and afternoon. ¥200 per ride; a one-day pass is ¥500.

Anything in the downtown Shinmachi area is easily accessible by foot.

• 🌍 Information center (Next to the train station). In this well-staffed center you can make enquiries about the city, accommodation and transportation. 

• Aomori Nebuta Festival (青森ねぶた祭り aomori nebuta matsuri). August 2–7. This is Aomori's most famous festival. The town suddenly becomes very lively, with many street stalls. The main feature is the evening parade with huge illuminated paper lanterns and costumed dancers. The final day of the festival concludes with an extensive fireworks display while some of the Nebuta lanterns float around the bay on boats. Everybody can join the parade, as long as they wear the festival costume. To rent the costume, enquire at the tourist center next to the train station. 
• 🌍 Machinaka Onsen (まちなか温泉 machinaka onsen) (turn right leaving Aomori Station and walk 2 blocks to Route 7; turn left; the onsen will be on the left about a block later). If you're tired, weary, and want a bath without going all the way to Asamushi Onsen, you can enjoy a hot spring bath just a few minutes walk from Aomori Station. The small bath outside is nice. 
• 🌍 Hakkoda Ropeway (八甲田ロープウェー hakkōda rōpuwē), 1 - 12, Kansuizawa, Arakawa, ☏ +81177380343. The ropeway operates year round for skiers, snowboarders, hikers, and anyone who just wants to see the view from the Hakkoda Mountains. You can snowboard until May here. ¥1850 for round trip; ¥1180 for one way (adult). 
• 🌍 Moya Hills (モヤヒルズ) (30-45 minutes from the city center by car). Ski resort close to the city. Roller luge, camping, and special events in the summer. 

Regional specialties include Tsugaru-nuri lacquerware, kogin-zashi embroidery, sakiori weaving, and products made from hiba cypress wood.

• 🌍 ASPAM (leaving Aomori Station, go straight down Shinmachi; turn left onto Aspam Dori at the fourth traffic light. ASPAM is at the end of the street). For loading up on regional souvenirs, head to ASPAM, the unusual-looking triangular building located just behind the bridge on the harbor. It contains an exhibition hall for promoting tourism and local products. 
• 🌍 A-FACTORY (1 minute walk north of Aomori Station). For edible souvenirs and local food products, stop by A-FACTORY next to Aomori Station. There are several take-out cafes and places to sit and eat on the boardwalk overlooking the bay. Sparkling apple wine called "cidre" is also made, sold, and served here (non-alcoholic cidre is also available). The restaurant upstairs specializes in dishes featuring French buckwheat crepes and local ingredients. 

Aomori's list of food specialties is extensive, but the headliners include apples, scallops, and garlic.

• 🌍 Aomori Gyosai Center (青森魚菜センター), 1-11-16 Furukawa (go straight when you leave Aomori Station; turn right after Auga Department Store. Turn left on the next main street, Niko Niko Dori (Smile Street). Turn right on the first side street; the market has a big red sign that says 青森魚菜センター). 07:00-16:00, closed Tuesdays.. If you're looking for a unique lunch featuring lots of fresh, local seafood, try making your own nokkedon sushi bowl at this seafood and vegetable market. First, buy tickets from the counter with the 丼 flag. Get a bowl of rice, and then trade your tickets for the toppings of your choice from vendors throughout the market. You can eat and help yourself to tea at picnic tables throughout the market. from about ¥1000 depending on your selections. 
• 🌍 Osanai (おさない) (100 m away from the train station). A small restaurant that serves local meals at a reasonable price. Try the scallops (hotate), or the local dish made of soup with seafood containing sea urchins, scallops and egg, and served on a plate that resembles a large scallop shell. 
• 🌍 Gusto Aomori Shinmachi branch (ガスト青森新町店), Shinmachi (450 m from Aomori Station, across the street from Hyper Hotel and the Passage courtyard). 07:00-14:00. A chain diner to comfort the weary foreign travelers with late hours, a relaxed atmosphere, a self-serve soft-drink bar, and familiar menu items, all with pictures. The chain has another branch near Higashi-Aomori station. 
• 🌍 Aji no Sapporo Asari (味の札幌 浅利), Shinmachi, 1 Chome (go straight from the station and turn left at the Alaska Hotel). Once of Aomori's more unusual specialties is "miso-curry-milk ramen." You can try it at this tiny ramen shop next to the Alaska Hotel. 
• 🌍 Saigon (サイゴン) (straight from the station, right at the 4th light; Saigon is about a block down on the right). If you want a break from Japanese food, Saigon has a crazy potpourri of "ethnic" food from Asia, the Americas, and beyond. The menu has lots of pictures. There's an extensive drink menu with "all you can drink" (nomihodai) options available. 
• 🌍 Maron (マロン), Yasukata, 2 Chome−6−7 (straight from the station, left at the 5th light (Kencho Dori); on the left; across the street from Utou Shrine), ☏ +81 17-722-4575. 11:00-21:30. Casual cafe with decorated with old clocks and other antique knick-knacks. Morning set, lunch items and sweets available. ¥500-1500. 
• 🌍 Smile and Spoon Kitchen Studio (スマイル＆スプーンキッチンスタジオ), 青柳2丁目2-16 (30 minute walk from Aomori Station; next to Aomori Baptist Church), ☏ +81 17-773-2535. Right around the corner from Hotel Aomori. This little cafe has a daily lunch special and a "trip around the world" lunch from a new country each week. about ¥1000. 

Local specialties are cidre (シードル, sparkling apple wine) and Denshu (田酒), Aomori's famous sake. Denshu is served in some izakaya and sushi restaurants. The main entertainment district is Honchō (本町). To get there, walk straight down Shinmachi "Amenity Street" for about 15 minutes. Once you cross Yanagi-machi Dōri (a big street with a median strip), you're in Honchō. However, there's plenty to drink in the city center:

• 🌍 Passage Hiroba (パサージュ広場) (5 min walk from the train). Passage Hiroba is a courtyard on the right side of the main street. There are several bars, taverns, and eateries. You can drink outside during warm weather. 
• 🌍 Cafe BERRY BERRY (straight from Aomori station, right at fourth light; on the right about two blocks down). Standard bar fare plus darts. 

Numerous hotels dot Shinmachi, the main street that stretches out from the train station. These hotels generally increase in price the closer you get to the train station.

• 🌍 Hotel Sunroute Aomori (2 blocks from Aomori Station). For drinks, try Hana-no-ya, the sumo-themed tavern in the basement. If you opt for breakfast, you can enjoy a view of the Mutsu Bay while trying lots of prefectural specialties like Hachinohe's senbei soup, or miso, egg, and scallop cooked in a scallop shell. Single rooms from ¥4000. 
• 🌍 Toyoko Inn Aomori Ekimae (in front of Aomori Station). Singles from ¥4800. 
• Super Hotel Aomori. Singles from ¥4980. 
• 🌍 Apple Palace Aomori (アップルパレス青森). This hotel has an onsen. Singles from ¥7875. 
• 🌍 Hotel Aomori, 1 Chome-1-23 Tsutsumimachi (in the Honcho entertainment area). Considered one of the nicer hotels in Aomori and popular for weddings and meetings. Single rooms are small but clean. Singles from ¥7300. 

The city tourist information center is located next to the bus station on the left as you exit the train station; they have good brochures and maps in English.

• 🌍 Auga (across the street from Aomori Station). There's a computer corner called Ai Plaza on the fourth floor of the Auga department store. You can use computers for up to one hour and print up to 5 pages. There's a library on floors 6-8. 
• 🌍 Starbucks (in the Aomori Station building. Another is a 15-minute walk from Shin-Aomori Station). You can use free wifi at the Starbucks on the second floor of Lovina next to the station. You may have to register or sign in with a social media account to connect. 

• Hirosaki, the "Kyoto of the North", is 45 minutes away by train.
• The Shimokita Peninsula, one of the most remote but also one of the most beautiful places in Japan, is a few hours away by train.
• Towada-Hachimantai National Park for day trips or overnight stays at onsen ryokan. Hike in the Hakkoda Mountains from trails accessible from Sukayu Onsen or the local cable car, both of which have stops about an hour away from Aomori on a stunning Japan Rail bus ride (covered by JR Pass). Less strenuous hiking along the Oirase Stream and waterfalls, or a visit to Lake Towada are also possible on the same route, 2-3 hours from Aomori.
• Hakodate, Hokkaido is two hours away by train.
• Inakadate
• Goshogawara
• Kuroishi
• Shichinohe
• Misawa