Aomori City青森市

A historic old port town with a modern feel. The excitement of the Nebuta-matsuri Festival can be felt throughout the year.

The city of Aomori is located at the base of the Tsugaru-hanto Peninsula, and is the political, economic, and cultural center of the prefecture of which it is the capital. Aomori has a history as a port town, but is continuing to develop as a modern city.

The bay area is full of modern facilities, including popular spots such as the Asupamu (prefectural tourism and souvenir hall), the Hakkoda-maru (the memorial ship that commemorates the days of the Seikan Ferryboat), and the Aomori Bay Bridge (which is beautiful when lit up at night).

The Munakata Shiko Memorial Museum of Art presents the works and achievements of that world-famous woodblock print artist from Aomori. If you want to find out more about Aomori's history and culture, you can go to the Aomori City Forestry Museum, the Aomori Prefectural Folk Museum, and the Aomori City History and Folk Arts Museum (Keiko-kan), which displays documents relating to folklore.

The Nebuta-matsuri Festival in summer features huge lanterns, and is one of the biggest festivals in the Tohoku region. The festival attracts lots of people, from inside Aomori and from other places. Nebuta warrior dolls are on display at the Nebuta-no-sato Museum in the southern suburbs of the city. These dolls have lights inside, and are made by sticking paper on wood and bamboo. They enable you to enjoy the mood of the festival throughout the year.