The Best Things to Do in Aomori, Japan
Despite many people skipping over the Tohoku Region in northern Japan, it has quickly become one of my favorite places to travel. One of my favorite cities in Tohoku is Aomori, the capital city of the Aomori Prefecture. We first visited Aomori City when traveling there for Nebuta Matsuri, a summer festival with intricately designed washi paper floats that are paraded through the streets each year in early August.
We loved the energy and sites in Aomori Prefecture, so we recently revisited Aomori City in the spring outside of the summer festival season. There are many things to do in Aomori, including dining on fresh, delicious seafood; scallops are divine here! Try the comforting and hearty miso curry milk ramen, an Aomori favorite dish. Endless ways to eat Aomori’s most beloved fruit, apples! And, of course, many ways to experience Nebuta Matsuri outside of its festival time!
How to Get to Aomori
How to Get to Aomori by Train
From Sendai, the fastest way to get to Aomori is by taking the Tohoku Shinkansen from Sendai Station to Shin-Aomori Station (1 hr 30 minutes). From there, you’ll transfer to the JR Ou Line Local Train to Aomori Station (around 6 minutes). The journey takes around 1 hour 45 minutes and costs around 11,420 yen one way.
From Hachinohe, there are two routes you can take to get to Aomori City. The fastest but more expensive way is to take the Tohoku Shinkansen from Hachinohe Station to Shin-Aomori Station (25 minutes) and then transfer to the JR Ou Line to Aomori Station (6 minutes). The entire journey costs around 3,920 yen one way.
The second way to get to Aomori City from Hachinohe is to take the Aomori Tetsudo Line from Hachinohe Station to Aomori Station. This journey costs roughly 2,320 yen. It is a scenic train ride that travels along the coast of Aomori Prefecture.
From Akita City, you’ll take the Ou Line Limited Express Train from Akita Station to Aomori Station. The journey takes 2.5 hours and costs around 5,700 yen.
From Hirosaki, you’ll take the Ou Line Limited Express Train from Hirosaki Station to Aomori Station. The journey takes around 35 minutes and costs roughly 1,730 yen one way.
How to Get to Aomori by Car
We have traveled to Aomori both by train and by car in the past. On our most recent Tohoku road trip, we were in Hirosaki before we went to Aomori, but Aomori City is accessible from many different cities in the Tohoku Region by car.
Keep in mind that there are many toll roads in the Tohoku Region so I always recommend making sure you get an ETC card so you don’t have to stop at every toll booth and if you can, the Tohoku Expressway Pass which offers a slight discount on your tolls if you plan on driving a lot.
You can read more about tolls in our complete guide to driving in Japan!
Average Driving Times to Get to Aomori:
- Hirosaki → Aomori: 1 hour drive
- Hachinohe → Aomori: 1 hour 30 minute drive
- Akita → Aomori: 3 hour drive
Transportation in Aomori City
Most attractions in Aomori City are fairly walkable, but there are a few caveats. That’s where the city’s public bus program and taxis are handy!
Public Buses in Aomori
- Nebutan-Go: This is a sightseeing bus that runs between Shin-Aomori Station, Aomori Station, and the main tourist sites in Aomori, such as the ferry terminal, Nebuta Museum, San’nai Maruyama Iseki Historical Site, and more.
- One-trip ticket: Adults ￥300, Elementary Students ￥150
- Hop-on Hop-off Day Ticket: Adults ￥700, Elementary Students ¥350
- Aomori City Bus: This is a local bus that has services in the city center and a few locations outside of the city like the Aomori Museum of Art area. Keep in mind that locals use this bus for commuting and daily life, so it’s better to take the Nebutan-Go bus when possible!
- The cost is by kilometer (stop) basis. You’ll need to take a ticket when getting on the bus or tap your IC Transportation Card when entering and exiting for payment.
Taxis in Aomori
There are three taxi services in Aomori that you can use to visit some things to do in Aomori. Keep in mind that not all taxi services accept credit cards, so it’s best to ask before assuming they will and make sure to keep cash on you. I’ve seen taxis all over Aomori City near the ferry port, cruise ship docks, Nebuta Museum, and the Aomori Museum of Art.
- Sanhaku Tourist Taxi
- Aomori Central Taxi
- Link Taxi
In addition to taxi services, you can also request a taxi from a local company through JapanTaxi. DiDi is another popular taxi app in Japan, but service is limited or unavailable in many parts of Aomori Prefecture. Last, Uber is also accessible in some areas of Aomori.
Parking in Aomori
If you are traveling by car to Aomori City you’ll find that some attractions offer free parking (Aomori Museum of Art), but at attractions in the city center, you’ll have to find public parking. Depending on the parking lot, this can be costly. Most parking lots in Aomori cost 100–300 yen per hour or 1,000 yen-2,000 yen overnight.
Here are some convenient parking lots in Aomori City:
- Nebutanoiewa Rasse Parking Lot: Next to the Nebuta Museum and A-Factory
- 220 yen for the first hour, 110 yen for every 30 minutes over, 650 yen overnight (10:30pm-8:30am).
- Mitsuinoripaku Aomori Ekimae Chushajo: Near Aomori Station, walking distance from many attractions.
- 8am-8pm: 100 yen every 30 minutes
- 8pm-8am: 100 yen every 60 minutes, maximum charge 200 yen
- Maximum charge within 24 hours of entering: 750 yen
- Times No B Aomori Ekimae Parking Lot: Near Aomori Station
- Maximum charge 750 yen/24 hours
- Aomoriken Kankobussankanasupamu Parking Lot: Central location in Aomori City. Normally, it is 220 yen/hour to park here, but they do offer free parking for those shopping here! So if you want to purchase some souvenirs, you may get some free parking alongside it. If purchasing items in the gift shop, parking is as follows:
- Spend 2,000 yen → 1 hour of free parking
- Spend 4,000 yen → 2 hours of free parking
- 10,000 yen → 4 hours of free parking
Where to Stay in Aomori City
Hotel Sunroute Aomori
On our first trip to Aomori, we stayed at Hotel Sunroute Aomori during Nebuta Matsuri. We loved that the location was in the city center, perfect for visiting Aomori attractions and attending the Nebuta Festival. Our room was spacious and clean and came with breakfast, which featured many Aomori Prefecture specialties such as kaiyaki miso, a fresh scallop grilled over a flame with miso and dashi (soup stock).
Location: 1 Chome-9-8 Shinmachi, Aomori, 030-0801, Japan // MAP
Daiwa Roynet Hotel Aomori
We’ve stayed in a few Daiwa Roynet properties in Japan and have usually found them to be a nicer business hotel option. The Daiwa Roynet Hotel Aomori is in a great location with updated rooms of various sizes that we have found slightly more spacious than other typical business hotels. It also has a great Japanese-style breakfast!
Location: 1 Chome-11-16 Shinmachi, Aomori, 030-0801, Japan // MAP
Hoshino Resorts KAI Tsugaru
If you are traveling by car and don’t mind making a day trip to Aomori City, I also recommend Hoshino Resorts KAI Tsugaru, located around 50 minutes away from Aomori City. We stayed there on our last trip to Aomori Prefecture and took a day trip to Aomori City.
KAI Tsugaru is a luxury hotel emphasizing local cuisine, crafts, and onsen. Included in your stay are two meals, breakfast and dinner. Dishes are prepared with local, seasonal ingredients, so you’ll experience some of Aomori Prefecture’s best selection.
I love that all Hoshino Resorts KAI properties offer free local traditional crafts to guests. At KAI Tsugaru, we created koginzashi bookmarks, which are made by stitching embroidery thread in symmetrical patterns.
Each evening at 9pm, you can head to the lobby to enjoy a free, special Tsugaru shamisen performance. The shamisen is a three-stringed instrument that is played with a large plectrum called a bachi. Many areas of Japan are known for shamisen, but witnessing this performance in Aomori Prefecture is extra special because Tsugaru shamisen originated here! If you’ve never heard a shamisen performance before, you might not know the difference, but Tsugaru shamisen has a unique playing style and sound with more energy.
Location: Kamibotanmori-36-1 Owani, Minamitsugaru District, Aomori 038-0211, Japan // MAP
Things to Do in Aomori
Visit the Nebuta Museum WA-RASSE
If you aren’t visiting Aomori City during Nebuta Matsuri (early August), you can experience parts of the festival by heading to Nebuta Museum WA-RASSE. The Nebuta Museum is an interactive and informative museum about Aomori Nebuta Matsuri.
At the entrance, you’ll find the Nebuta Tunnel, which introduces the history and origins of the festival and further explains the float creation process. Then make your way to the Nebuta Hall of Fame, where you can watch a video about the Nebuta masters, a title granted to less than 10 people.
My favorite exhibit in the Nebuta Museum was Nebuta Hall. In this area, you can see floats used in past Nebuta Festivals, with new floats being added each year after the previous Nebuta Festival. Since viewing the details of the floats is limited during the festival, this is a unique way to get up close to the floats and appreciate the many details and talent when creating them.
Normally people aren’t allowed to touch the floats, but there is one area that has a hands-on experience where you can touch the delicate features of the washi paper and examine the skills used to create such a work of art.
In another section of Nebuta Hall, you can watch a 10-minute video of footage from previous parades. Screenings take place every 30 minutes starting at 9:30am. Additionally, there is a “Haneto Experience” where you can learn how to dance to Hayashi music performed during the festival like a Haneto dancer. This experience is held daily at 11:10am, 1:10pm, and 3:10pm.
The last place in the Nebuta Museum you’ll stop is the gift shop, which contains many specialty snacks, sweets, and beverages to the Aomori Prefecture and memorabilia significant to the Aomori Nebuta Festival.
Location: 1 Chome-1-1 Yasukata, Aomori, 030-0803, Japan // MAP
You might also like: A Complete Guide to Experiencing Aomori Nebuta Matsuri
Enjoy All Things Apple at A-Factory
Aomori Prefecture is known for apples and you can try all things apple at A-Factory! Although both the Nebuta Museum and A-Factory are prone to getting busy with cruise ship tourists, I recommend stopping here to enjoy some of Aomori’s famous apple goods.
A few things I recommend purchasing at A-Factory are an apple cake or donut and some apple juice. I also bought some apple jam to take home, it had such a crisp flavor! If you want to find something other than apple goods, A-Factory also has a selection of savory crackers, curry milk ramen, and more available to purchase.
While visiting A-Factory, make sure you stop by the cidery to try some of the delicious hard ciders and/or non-alcoholic ciders made with different types of Aomori apples! From apple cider to apple beer, apple donuts, and jams, there are so many delicious apple treats to enjoy at A-Factory!
Location: 1 Chome-4-2 Yanakawa, Aomori, 038-0012, Japan // MAP
Try the Delicious Miso Curry Milk Ramen
Although curry milk ramen is typically thought of as one of Hokkaido ramen, Aomori has many miso curry ramen spots to enjoy. Because of Aomori’s proximity to Hokkaido and cold winter months, this soothing, spicy, and hearty ramen quickly became a local favorite, with many curry ramen restaurants opening in Aomori City.
One of my favorites is Ajino Sapporo Oonishi, which, as the name suggests, started in Sapporo but has since opened a few locations in the Tohoku Region.
I recommend ordering the traditional miso curry milk ramen with butter, which is incredibly rich in flavor and has the perfect amount of spice to add rich flavors. A huge bowl of this ramen (I mean HUGE) will only set you back around 1,000 yen.
Location: Japan, 〒030-0862 Aomori, Furukawa, 1 Chome−15−6 大西クリエイトビル １Ｆ// MAP
Visit the Seikan Train Ferry Memorial Ship, Hakkōdamaru
Before the Seikan Tunnel opened in 1988, ferries were the primary mode of transportation between Aomori and Hokkaido, with people traveling to Aomori by train to transfer to the ferry. After the tunnel opened, train travel became the primary way to travel between regions.
Hakkōdamaru is one of the former ferries used before 1988 that is now a museum and memorial to this era. Take a self-guided tour of the Hakkōdamaru to learn more about Aomori maritime culture and to see carefully preserved cabins and the lower engine room.
Most of the ship is available to view, making it a unique experience. One of the most interesting features of the Hakkōdamaru is the vehicle deck, which at its peak held 48 rail cars that would be transported to Hakodate. A few trains are on display inside the vehicle deck, including a locomotive, mail car, and express train car. I found the experience to be informative and interesting.
Location: 1 Chome-１１２−１５ 地先 Yanakawa, Aomori, 038-0012, Japan // MAP
Eat Local Seafood at Aomori Gyosai Center (Aomori Nokkedon)
At Aomori Gyosai Center, you can try Aomori Nokke Donburi, which is a bowl of rice topped with fresh, local seafood. You start by purchasing Nokkedon meal tickets at the center’s information desk. You can get 1-12 tickets to start. 12 tickets costing 2,000 yen and 1 individual ticket costing around 170 yen.
Then you go to get your rice bowl! One ticket will get you a regular bowl and two tickets will get you a large bowl. Then it’s time to start adding toppings! You’ll take your tickets to exchange at over 30 seafood and butcher counters, choosing the meat, shellfish, and fish you’d like most, such as Aomori scallops, fatty tuna, sweet shrimp, sea bream, squid mince, and many more. Depending on your choices, each one will cost 1-3 tickets. If you need more, you can always stop by the information desk again to get additional tickets. After you’ve selected all of your toppings, it’s time to dig into your perfect nokkedon!
Location: 1 Chome-11-16 Furukawa, Aomori, 030-0862, Japan // MAP
Enjoy Unique Modern Art at the Aomori Museum of Art
If you are interested in modern art, don’t miss a trip to the Aomori Museum of Art. This contemporary modern art museum features the works of local and international artists such as Yoshitomo Nara, Shuji Terayama, Shiko Munakata, Gosei Abe, and Kojin Kudo, all from Aomori Prefecture. Of course, like most art museums, they also have a large area for rotating exhibits, so check their calendar for the latest exhibit information!
Location: Chikano-185 Yasuta, Aomori, 038-0021, Japan // MAP
Learn About the San’nai Maruyama Iseki Special Historical Site
Next door to the Aomori Museum of Art is the San’nai Maruyama Iseki Special Historical Site, a unique archeological site from the Jomon era (14,500 BCE to 300 BCE) in Japan. Here you can discover how people lived during this time by touring the ancient village.
Excavations that started in 1992 uncovered the remains of this settlement from approximately 3,900 – 2,200 BCE. During this time, they found burial mounds, buildings, pit dwellings, pottery, bone and horn tools, and products alongside many other tools.
Because of their historical significance, it was decided to attempt to preserve the village remains and open a historic site and museum to the public. Since its founding, over 2,000 artifacts have been unearthed and placed in the museum.
While much of the site was buried underground, you can still see how people lived during this time by visiting the on-site museum and the reconstructed pit dwellings and buildings.
Location: Maruyama-305 Sannai, Aomori, 038-0031, Japan // MAP
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