AOMORI
Retreat to Towada-Hachimantai National Park
Retreat to the deep mountain resort home to meditative lakes, fantastical moors, and healing hot springs!
Color Your World with Vegetable Crayons
A company in Aomori Prefecture is making sustainable crayons out of vegetable waste.
Catch These Hunky Fisherman Trading Cards
Aomori Prefecture wanted to boost the value and attractiveness of their fishery industry. And to them, there's apparently no better way than with wet, toned fishermen on trading cards.
Designer Apples Fetch $2,300!
It's common knowledge that fruit is more expensive in Japan. Three of producer Chisato Iwasaki’s designed apples went for $2,300 at auction in Aomori Prefecture.
Walking Japan's 1,000km Michinoku Coastal Trail
Ten years after one of Japan’s most deadly disasters, a region is reborn--and it is home to the best hiking trail you’ve never heard of.
Aomori’s Hirosaki Park Reopens
Aomori’s landmark park famous for cherry blossoms reopens after closing for 38 days to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Hakkoda's Crystal Clear Foliage Reflection
Autumn colors at Tsutanuma Lake in northern Japan are enchanting visitors from all around.
Holy Hairy Fish!
Locals in Aomori, northern Japan, find fish with algae growing from their heads that looks like hair.
Float On, Giant Princess Kaguya
This year’s Tachinebuta Festival in northeastern Japan has a new, and very tall, princess.
Walk Tohoku's Historic Michinoku Coastal Trail
Michinoku is an old name for the Tohoku region, and means "the end of the road." The Michinoku Coastal Trail in Tohoku is a 1,000+ kilometer walking route along the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Japan's rustic north.
A New Year, A New Character Harvest
Audrey Hepburn and Osamu Tezuka's characters get the rice paddy treatment in Aomori Prefecture as rice fields spring up in their likeness.
Men Bare Souls (& Bodies) for Good Fortune
This winter festival in Aomori sees a few dozen men strip down to pray for good health and a good harvest!
Hiking Japan’s Michinoku Coastal Trail: 2-Day Model Itinerary
Here’s an easy-to-follow itinerary for hiking the northernmost part of the Michinoku Coastal Trail, accessible to beginners and long-trailers alike.
Forgetting Time on the Resort Shirakami
The Resort Shirakami is a travel experience that combines the romance of the railways with traditional culture and beautiful scenery.
Aomori's Stunning Winter "Cherry Blossoms"
These "cherry blossoms" at Hirosaki Castle in Aomori Prefecture are bringing some much needed warmth to Japan's wintery north.
Rice Paddy Art Celebrates Manga Legend
To celebrate the 90th anniversary of Osamu Tezuka, the 'Godfather of Manga,' the small village of Inakadate in Aomori has created stunning natural art depicting some of his most-beloved characters.
The Association of the Most Beautiful Villages
The Association of the Most Beautiful Villages in Japan is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving the most interesting and beautiful rural towns in Japan. There are truly some hidden gems on this list!
Traditional Tsugaru-Style Shamisen Rocks
A professional shamisen artist in Aomori Prefecture gives concerts and teaches people to play the Tsugaru-jamisen.
Feeling Hungry? How about a US$200k Tuna?
A 208.4 kilogram tuna fetches nearly ¥20.8 million at Toyosu Market's first auction of the year.
The Road Less Traveled in Tohoku
Yet the sheer size of Tohoku means that there are still plenty of discoveries to be made. On this trip, I set out to explore some lesser-known wonders in Miyagi, Iwate, and Aomori Prefectures.
