Many people don't realize that depending on where you go in Japan, the customs, beliefs, dialects, and traditions that can be totally different. In Japan there is so much variety!
This is also true for food. Each prefecture has a few specialities that they are known for. Sometimes even the same dish is created and enjoyed so differently, that there is no comparison. They stand on their own and taste completely different! Aomori is a prefecture at the northernmost tip of Honshu island of Japan right under Hokkaido. Due to their geographic location, the culture is different than what you might find in a popular destination like Tokyo. However Aomori has many hidden treasures and that includes the food, in fact, there is quite a bit of variety even within the same prefectures. Here is our Aomori food guide, a list of some specialties and delicious dishes we recommend you try if you're visiting Aomori. Check out our other food guides too!
Aomori Bay Bridge
1. Apples/Apple Pie
The apples in Aomori are well-known and popular throughout the country. Some have even referred to it as the apple capital of Japan. They produce some of the juiciest apples that perfectly combine a fresh sweetness with a zingy tartness for some of the crispest apples. The apples on their own are something to try if you're in the area, as they stand on their own. However a popular and tasty consequence of Aomori's production of apples are the apple pies.
Apples in Aomori
The apple pies are renowned as well, and are a delicious pastry to try whilst visiting the beautiful prefecture. In Hirosaki, they even make kyodai apple pies during events. The kyodai apple pie is a giant apple pie that is baked during events and many people come together to bake the huge pie. It's a specialty of Hirosaki, and one to try! The flaky, buttery crust and the tart apples can't be beat!
Aomori Apple Pie
2. Igamenchi
Igamenchi is another food famous especially in Hirosaki of Aomori Prefecture. The dish consists of finely chopped vegetables mixed with chopped bits of squid, often bits left over from other meals, so that nothing is wasted. The bits of chopped ingredients are combined together and fried in oil for a delicious filling meal popular to eat with beer. You can find this dish in izakayas around Hirosaki easily, and around the Aomori Prefecture.
3. Senbei Jiru
Senbei Jiru is a soup specialty of the Aomori Prefecture. A soup base that is soy-sauce, salt, or miso flavored is topped with crackers called senbei. The crispy senbei gets soft in the broth and also adds a filling, hearty component to the simple soup. Some root vegetables as well as mushrooms, carrots and other vegetables are also added into the soup for a comforting meal.
Senbei Jiru
4. Ichigo-ni
Now some people may be hesitant to try out this next dish just because I find that many people are weirded-out by the thought of eating sea urchin. Ichigo-ni is an Aomori specialty that includes sea urchin and abalone added to a soup base. Ichigo means strawberry in Japanese, and since the urchin is said to resemble strawberries when submerged in the broth, thus the name. I personally love sea urchins, the flavor and the texture, so for those unsure, I recommend trying it at least once! Ichigo-ni is usually reserved for special occassions like New Year's especially because the ingredients are considered more special "luxury" ingredients.
Ichigo-ni not pictured. Sea urchin photo
5. Bara-yaki
For those who like a meaty, filling dish, bara-yaki is one that you may enjoy. Marinated beef rib is cooked in a pan with onions, and voila! Bara-yaki. Sometimes the beef dish is served over rice making it even more filling. Although a fairly simple dish, the marinades create depth with the flavor that is both salty, sweet, and a bit spicy. Bara-yaki is thought to have been created by Korean immigrants in Aomori Prefecture's Towada city and the dish is reminiscent of the korean barbecue dish bulgogi.
Aomori Bara Yaki
6. Miso-ginger Oden
Those who are familiar with Japanese cuisine may be familar with oden. In fact, we have covered it on many of our food related blogs as it is such a fall and winter staple. Something about the simmered vegetables and fish cakes create a comforting and warm feeling on cold days. What makes Aomori oden a bit different is that in this prefecture, you often find oden with miso-ginger sauce topping. In fact its common to find a lot of miso dishes in Aomori, or a miso component to the dishes, and this oden is no exception! The miso-ginger sauce creates a light, zesty fresh flavor to the dish so that you can keep on eating and eating!
Oden
7. Keno jiru/Keno shiru
The stews and soups in Japan are so delicious. The Aomori soup, kenoshiru, is no exception! It's made with a miso broth with a lot of cubed vegetables added to it and simmered. The vegetables are usually root vegetables like daikon, carrot, and burdock, as well as some other vegetables. Tofu as well as bean curd is also added to this dish as well, and is often eaten for New Year's.
Kenoshiru
8. Kayaki-miso
If there is one thing that I love, it is scallops. In this dish, both the scallop and the shell are used. The shell is used to hold a mixture of scallop and eggs with miso paste and green onions. Interestingly, the shell is used over and over again as it is believed that the flavor of the dish intensifies each subsequent time it is used because the shell adds flavoring. It also gives it an aethetic that is pleasing to look at as well.
Kayaki-miso
9. Jappa-jiru
Jappa-jiru is a filling hot-pot dish that warms your bones on cold days. The dish is made with almost all the parts of a codfish including the head, skin, and insides. The broth is a miso base and vegetables are added into the soup as well, creating a depth in flavor that is both rich and complex. If you're a fan of fish stews, this may be a dish to try in Aomori!
10. Garlic
Now garlic isn't so much a dish as an ingredient, although some people do eat whole garlic. However, garlic in the town of Takkomachi in Aomori Prefecture is famous and a must try. Takkomachi is considered the home of garlic in Japan and the top producer.
However, fresh garlic isn't the only thing that Aomori is famous for. They also have black garlic, a fermented garlic that many people worldwide have touted as a health food. People can enjoy black garlic as is, and the pungent sulfuric taste is said to be much milder and sweeter. These would make an excellent gift or souvenir as well!
Black Garlic
With this list of Aomori food specialties, was there anything that strikes your fancy? The food in Aomori is diverse and interesting. If you're taking a stop in Aomori on your Japan travel adventures, I hope this food guide ends up being useful or gives you inspiration on what to try.
Also be sure to check out our food guides on other prefectures, and be sure to let us know which prefectures food you'd like to try or read about next on our facebook page!
Hiroshima Food Guide: HERE
Osaka Food Guide: HERE
Okinawa Food Guide: HERE
Kyoto Food Guide: HERE
Hokkado Food Guide: HERE