Escaping to Aomori and Asamushi for Laid Back Charm

As part of my winter Japan getaway, which saw me travel from Sapporo down to Tokyo, I stopped over at the quaint city of Aomori. It was a base where I made day trips to the nearby city of Hirosaki and the onsen town of Asamushi. While these cities in northern Honshu rarely topped travel bucket lists, the region a great choice if you’re looking for an introspective holiday!

Getting into Aomori

From Hakodate, we took the (fairly) new Shinkansen into Aomori. The Shinkansen stations of both cities are outside of the city centres. Hence the 2-hour journey from Hakodate to Aomori was split into 3 parts:

Hakodate Line
1021-1043hrs

Hokkaido Shinkansen Hayabusa 22
1053-1150hrs

Ou Line
1223-1229hrs

Once into Aomori, we checked into our hotel at Daiwa Roynet Hotel Aomori, before taking the local line to Asamushi onsen village for a soak. The following day, we took a day trip out to nearby city Hirosaki, spent the night leisurely exploring Aomori, before setting off the following morning for Ginzan Onsen.

Asamushi

From Aomori train station, it was a 20 minute ride on the local train to Asamushi, an onsen town overlooking the Tsugaru Strait. It was a rainy day when I visited, so the place was shrouded in light mist.

Having made the trip down from Hakodate since morning, we were eager to have lunch first at the aptly named Asamushi Shokudo (Asamushi canteen). The cafe was about a 10 minutes stroll from the train station. Most parts of the town was on the other side of the railway track. Therefore, we had to cross an elaborate pedestrian bridge – real impressive for a small town – to start the leisure winter stroll to our lunch place.

A Quiet Lunch at Asamushi Shokudo

Asamushi Shokudo is a corner building at the end of a quiet commercial street. The place was decked out in Scandinavian style, with teak wood furniture and full length windows. There was a grocery store attached, which probably explained why the canteen was busier than the rest of the stores that we walked past.

When we arrived, the place was half full of lunchtime diners. They were mainly a senior crowd, who were probably all locals. We ordered Curry Rice and Baked Pasta – great comfort food for a cold rainy day. The senior diners left shortly after we arrived, so we had the entire place to ourselves.

The thing about visiting a small town like this… was to manage our expectations. Almost nothing was opened in winter. Like the famous local pudding, Asamushi Onsen Pudding Kinjiro, which was on our to-do list.

That being said, the Asamushi Onsen Source Park Foot Bath was open, but it wasn’t alluring enough for me to take that little dip. Admittedly, I didn’t expect it to be an open facility in a small pavilion. Additionally, I doubt anyone would be daring enough to have a footbath out in the open during winter. But if you had brought a towel with you so that you could quickly dry your feet and wear your winter boots before that cold hit you, would you?

Road Station Asamushi Onsen

Our final stop was the Road Station Asamushi Onsen. It was a public bath beside the train station facing the sea, providing a timely refuge from the rain that grew into a storm.

The sento itself was located on the 4th level of a community centre, with sheltered access from the train station. It was minimalist and functional, and felt like a trip back to the 1980s. Behind the shoe locker was the communal space offering a panoramic view of the Tsugaru Strait with its full height windows. On the other side of the lockers was where the reception was, and where one could purchase towels and toiletries.

Beyond that were the gender segregated indoor hot pools. The men’s bath had 2 hot pools of different temperatures. As both pools faced the sea, it was immensely satisfying to be soaking in a hot pool watching the entire horizon bathed in a cloak of rain. To me, the view beat the utilitarian sento hands down.

After a hearty soak, I went to the public resting corner to… rest. It was a simple space decked out in light cherry wood and double couches facing the sea. There were a few vending machines for beverages. Imagine this: relaxing at a couch, sipping green tea, while admiring the sea view. It was a superb 10 minutes of doing nothing, while doing everything.

We caught the train back to Aomori 1 hour before schedule. The train ran in 30 minute intervals, so it would be great to plan in advance. Additionally, either bring your own toiletries and towels for the sento, or bring some cash to purchase them.

A for Aomori

The city of Aomori, especially its city centre, was everything “A”. Several buildings, including its tourist information centre, sported that design. The towering bridge spanning across the bay were also supported by A-frame towers.

Other than that, the city was also designed for the snowy weather. After all, Aomori is the snowiest city in the world. The main shopping street, Shinmachi, was lined with high-ceiling sheltered walkways from the train station to… beyond my hotel, which was about 2 bus stops away.

Granted, the high ceiling wasn’t useful for guarding against the falling snow. However, it did prevent snow and ice build up on the pedestrian paths. That was in stark contrast to the icy slippery streets in Sapporo. As my plan in Aomachi didn’t involve venturing much beyond Shinmachi, I was more than grateful for the sheltered walkway!

Shopping at Aomori

As a small tourist city, Aomori’s shopping district mainly surrounds the train station and the above-mentioned Shinmachi. Most of them also closed early while I was there (think Australia). Therefore, upon returning from Asamushi and finding that there was still some time to spare, we detoured to the A-Factory just a block away from Aomori train station just before it closed.

A-Factory is a souvenir market designed in the image of a factory. The sloped roofs was set against the background of the Aomori Bridge, making it a unique photo stop of its own. It closes at 7pm daily, and most likely would be the last shopping place one drops by while at Aomori.

Aomori’s famous for apples, so one can find all sorts of apple products at A-Factory. Other than apple cider, there were dried apples, ice cream and cookies. Even apple pies were packed in exquisite omiyage wrapping for folks to bring home as gifts. There is also a food hall, which serves some cute hot food.

By the time we left A-Factory, the sun had already set and the entire bay area was bathed in the warm glow of street lights. Thankfully, the snow and rain stopped, making it a great opportunity for a slow walk back to our hotel.

Sights and Sounds

Other than trying to spot A-shaped buildings, we also took a walk at the Aoiumi Park by the seaside. It was real challenging to be strolling through the park in winter. The cold wind from the north was strong and the park had little infrastructure to hide from the chilling gusts sweeping in from Tsugaru Strait.

However, with pretty much nothing touristy opened early in the morning or late in the evening, such free access amenities were our only options.

The park was a few blocks away from my hotel at Daiwa Roynet Hotel Aomori. After crossing a huge intersection, we entered the Aomori Prefecture Tourism Information Center ASPAM building which led to the park.

There were a few souvenir stores in the tourism centre for us to warm ourselves after the cold morning walk (the wind at the junction was really strong!). We also bought an Apple Pie from the Sweets Factory Pampam ASPAM Store. The best thing about being out so early was getting first dips at the pies fresh out of the oven!

Eating at Aomori

Most of the food places around Aomori’s city centre closed by 7pm. Even franchises like Ajinoya were closed! Luckily, there was still the trusty Yoshinoya that satisfied our dinner desires. That being said, it was really important to plan your sightseeing to include dinner before 7pm.

Soba Restaurant Seiran

On our first night, we walked to a quaint restaurant called Soba Restaurant Seiran. Like Road Station Asamushi Onsen, the interior was a throwback to the heydays of Japan. The environment was clean and uncluttered, which was markedly different from the usual Japanese restaurants.

Dinner was typical Japanese fare: Soba, Tendon and Teriyaki Chicken. The food was decent and value for money. The Teriyaki Chicken was the highlight, as it was nicely caramelised and yet tender at every bite.

I was glad to be able to find food when everywhere else was closed. On our 2nd night at Aomori, which also happened to be a Sunday, we ended up settling our dinner at Yoshinoya (which was decent, but the idea wasn’t to try franchises in this part of Japan). The ambience at the restaurant was also quiet, exuding the stern personality of typical Aomori people.

Uguisu

Another meal we had was at a restaurant right below our hotel: Uguisu. It was a new establishment serving contemporary Japanese fusion.

I liked how the interior was decked out in classy clean lines with warm undertones. There was a huge island for preparing gourmet coffee (and other beverages), which has become a norm in new hipster restaurants. While waiting for the food to be served, I could enjoy the wafts of coffee aroma from the island, which was a great joy as a coffee lover!

We ordered their signature Slow-cooked Chicken White Broth Soba and Egg Tempura Rice Bowl. Both of them looked pretty plated, befitting the general feel of the restaurant. At 880 Yen, the Soba was value for money. The don was even cheaper, though it came in a “kid’s size” portion.

Accommodation at Daiwa Roynet Hotel Aomori

We stayed at the Daiwa Roynet Hotel Aomori throughout our short stay at Aomori. It was newly opened and part of an established Japanese franchise. As it was located within the Shinmachi district, we could reach it in under 10 minutes using the sheltered walkway – that is, if you could resist the touts from the multitude of restaurants along the way. There was a Lawson directly connected to the hotel lifts, so one could get some quick bites without stepping into the cold.

At S$180 per night, the room at Daiwa Roynet Hotel Aomori was considered cheap. We had the same expectations of its room too. Surprisingly, the room was very spacious!

After fitting in 2 super single beds, the bedroom still had space for a decent study desk and TV console, and more space for 2 open suitcases. Of course, the room designer adopted an open concept wardrobe to make the room look roomier.

Bathroom and Amenities

The bathroom harboured even a greater surprise. It had separate a shower and bathtub, which were in itself separated from the sink and vanity counter. In other words, it was way bigger than the usual Japanese hotel bathroom!

Other than space, the hotel also provided additional towels for “back rubs” (whutt??). The toilet seat was warmed and the bidet could oscillate for a more thorough wash. 

In case you’re wondering, we were in an Japanese hotel, so toiletries like the dental kits and shampoo / conditioner / shower foam, and amenities like hair dryer, ironing and in-room safe were also provided. A special mention was their bedroom slippers, which were of such great quality that we threw away our old ones.

Hospitality

The staff was friendly and helpful. One of them who was fluent in English, helped us call our next hotel to confirm the pick up arrangements.

The hotel reception was also spacious and private. It was possible to do self service check in and out, as well as changing foreign currency.

Like Four Points Hakodate, Daiwa Roynet also provided heat pack at the reception. There was also drip coffee and tea, as well as shavers for those who needed them. The hotel also had a clean and easy to use laundromat – free to use. Overall, the hotel exceeded expectations, in terms of space, amenities, location and hospitality.

Parting Words

Aomori isn’t the city on tourists’ minds when they think about visiting Japan. But if you’re getting tired of the crampness and crowd in Tokyo and Osaka, then Aomori is the place.

Aomori is everything of a Japanese city, except on a smaller scale. There’s onsen within an hour’s train ride away, local and franchise food to explore, and tonnes of apple-inspired products. 

Of course, I had to deal with shops closing early, which didn’t help that I was there in winter on a weekend. However, I bet everyone who was looking for a slow paced getaway wouldn’t mind that!

My 3D2N stay in Aomori also included a day trip to nearby city Hirosaki, which I would share in another post. It was also part of a bigger trip that started from the northern most part of Japan, which saw us making our way down from Sapporo to Ginzan Onsen.

If you liked this post, do check out my review on  ANA Holiday Inn Sapporo Susukino. With its clean rooms and convenient location, I thought it was great accommodation for exploring Sapporo, Hokkaido.

For those of you staying for a longer time at Hokkaido, follow my adventure to the northernmost point of Japan – Cape Soya. The day trip up north will be worthwhile!

Till then, stay wanderlust!

All photos and videos were taken using Google Pixel 4a, and edited with Google Photos.

Highlights of Aomori

Soba Restaurant Seiran
そば処 正嵐
1 Chome-2-1 Furukawa, Aomori, 030-0862, Japan
+81177740837

Uguisu
Japan, 〒030-0801 Aomori, Shinmachi, 1 Chome−11−16 ダイワロイネットホテル青森 1F
https://wolt.com/en/jpn/aomori/restaurant/uguisu-aomori
+81177640898

Sweets Factory Pampam ASPAM Store
Japan, 〒030-0803 Aomori, Yasukata, 1 Chome−1−40 1F
http://aspm.aomori-kanko.or.jp/shop07.html

Accommodation at Daiwa Roynet Hotel Aomori
ダイワロイネットホテル青森
1 Chome-11-16 Shinmachi, Aomori, 030-0801, Japan
https://www.daiwaroynet.jp/aomori/
+81177327380

A-Factory
1 Chome-4-2 Yanakawa, Aomori, 038-0012, Japan
https://www.jre-abc.com/wp/afactory/index/

Aoiumi Park
青い海公園
2 Chome-1 Yasukata, Aomori, 030-0803, Japan
http://www.atca.info/waterfront/aoiumi.html

Highlights of Asamushi

Asamushi Shokudo
浅めし食堂
Japan, 〒039-3501 Aomori, Asamushi, Hotarudani−６５−34
https://asameshi-syokudou.com/
+81177523322

Road Station Asamushi Onsen
道の駅 浅虫温泉ゆ〜さ浅虫
Hotarudani-341-19 Asamushi, Aomori, 039-3501, Japan
http://www.yu-sa.jp/
+81177375151

Asamushi Onsen Pudding Kinjiro
Hotarudani-65-73 Asamushi, Aomori, 039-3501, Japan