Aomori

The Hirosaki Domain first established a port settlement with the name Aomori (青森) in 1624. The name Aomori (青森) is composed of the components ao (青) "blue", "green", and mori (森) "forest", "woods", and can be literally translated as "green forest". The name most likely originates from a small forest on a hill that existed nearby, which is said to have been used by fishermen as a landmark.

The area has been settled extensively since prehistoric times, and numerous Jōmon period sites have been found by archaeologists, the most famous being the Sannai-Maruyama Site located just southwest of the city center dating to 5500–4000 BC, and the Komakino Site slightly farther south dating to around 4000 BC. The large scale of these settlements revolutionized theories on Jōmon period civilization. During the Heian period, the area was part of the holdings of the Northern Fujiwara clan, but remained inhabited by the Emishi people well into the historic period. After the fall of the Northern Fujiwara in the Kamakura period, the territory was part of the domain assigned to the Nambu clan, and into the Sengoku period, it came under the control of the rival Tsugaru clan, whose main castle was located in Namioka. …

Aomori is located in central Aomori Prefecture, the northernmost prefecture of Honshu. It is located in the northeastern part of the Tsugaru region, which refers to the western half of the prefecture, and is centered on Aomori Plain, facing Aomori Bay, a branch bay of Mutsu Bay, to the north, and the Hakkōda and Higashidake Mountains, which are the northern end of the Ōu Mountains to the south to the east. Among other smaller rivers, the city has two large rivers flowing through it, the Komagome River and its tributary, the Arakawa River. Parts of the city in the southeast are within the borders of Towada-Hachimantai National Park and is a tourist destination throughout the four seasons. In the northeast is Asamushi-Natsudomari Prefectural Natural Park. There are many hot springs in the city, including Sukayu Onsen at the foot of Mt. Hakkōda and Asamushi Onsen on the coast. …

Aomori serves as the regional commercial center for central Aomori Prefecture. Agriculture and commercial fishing form only 4% of the city economy, with manufacturing forming 16.2% and the service sector forming 78.2%.

Aomori Nebuta Matsuri is a famous festival performed from 2–7 August annually and is listed as one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment. Besides this, major attractions of Aomori include ruins, museums, and mountains. The Hakkōda Mountains have good locations for trekking with hot spas (onsen), such as Sukayu Onsen. Aomori Bay Bridge Aomori City Forestry Museum Aomori City History and Folk Arts Museum Aomori Museum of Art Aomori Prefectural Museum Asamushi Aquarium Asamushi Onsen Komakino Site, a National Historic Site Munakata Shiko Memorial Museum of Art Namioka Castle ruins, A National Historic Site Nebuta Museum Wa Rasse Ōmori Katsuyama Site, a National Historic Site Sannai-Maruyama Site, a Special National Historic Site Seiryū-ji Shinmachi Street Sukayu Onsen Takayashikidate Site, a National Historic Site Uramachi Shinmeigū

Aomori Airport - (established in 1964 with international flights from 1995) is about a 35-minute drive from the city center, with a bus service available. There are daily flights to Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Sapporo. There are also international flights to Seoul and Taipei. Odate–Noshiro Airport - is located quite far from the city centre as it was located in Northern Akita Prefecture. It is solely used by All Nippon Airways service to Tokyo as the airline did not served the Tokyo-Aomori route. Aomori Station has been the main station of the city since 1891. The two trunk lines of the Tōhoku region, the Tōhoku Main Line (now the Aoimori Railway) and the Ōu Main Line, terminated at Aomori Station and continued to Hakodate by the Seikan Ferry. …