About Aomori
Aomori Prefecture is known as a region boasting beautiful nature and rich culture in Japan. Located at the northernmost tip of Honshu and facing both the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, the prefecture attracts many tourists with its scenery that changes beautifully with the seasons. Lake Towada, Oirase Stream, and Mt. Hakkoda are particularly popular as tourist spots.
Aomori is also a region that retains deep roots in history and tradition. Cultural highlights are abundant, including the Nebuta Festival and the cherry blossom festival at Hirosaki Castle. Furthermore, Aomori is known as the “Kingdom of Apples” and offers many delicious foods and hot springs. Apple-based sweets and the local dish senbei-jiru (rice cracker soup) are particularly popular with visitors.
Below, we introduce three carefully selected luxury hotels that offer a special stay when visiting Aomori.
3 Select Luxury Hotels in Aomori Prefecture
Nanbuya Kaisenkaku | Asamushi Onsen
Highlights of Nanbuya Kaisenkaku
Nanbuya Kaisenkaku is an accommodation located in Asamushi Onsen, Aomori Prefecture, offering visitors relaxation and enjoyment with its location overlooking the beautiful Mutsu Bay and abundant activities. Traditional live Tsugaru shamisen performances, fine cuisine using fresh local ingredients, and comfortable hot springs are the major attractions of this inn.
Relaxing Hot Springs and Spectacular Views
Nanbuya Kaisenkaku is located in Asamushi Onsen, Aomori Prefecture, and its charm lies in its location overlooking Mutsu Bay. From the panoramic public bath on the top floor, you can relax while enjoying magnificent views. The hot springs are colorless and transparent, with a sodium-calcium sulfate-chloride spring. The water is said to be effective for rheumatic conditions and musculoskeletal disorders, and offer excellent relaxation effects. From the panoramic bath, you can enjoy sunrises and evening scenery while overlooking Mutsu Bay. In winter, you can soak in the hot springs surrounded by snow scenery, enjoying different landscapes throughout the year.
Live Tsugaru Shamisen Performance
The nightly live Tsugaru shamisen performance is a major event at Nanbuya Kaisenkaku. With an entertaining MC who speaks in Tsugaru dialect, you can enjoy powerful performances. This live show is a valuable opportunity to experience local culture and enjoy traditional music. The distinctive tone and powerful performances of the Tsugaru shamisen move many guests.
Rich Gourmet Experience with Local Cuisine
Meals generously use fresh Aomori-produced ingredients, with scallop dishes being particularly renowned. For dinner, guests can choose between two styles: kaiseki cuisine reflecting Aomori’s four seasons at “Ryuo,” or the chef’s live buffet at “Umitsuji.” Dishes made with local seafood and mountain delicacies allow visitors to savor the flavors of Aomori. Breakfast also features a rich variety of dishes prepared with fresh local ingredients.
Excellent Facilities and Hospitality
Nanbuya Kaisenkaku features a “folk art-inspired modern Japanese” design, with paintings and crafts rich in local character displayed throughout the building. Rooms such as the Mutsu Bay Suite and Japanese Modern Twin offer beautiful views of Mutsu Bay (Western-style rooms look out over the town of Asamushi and the mountains). The renovated rooms offer various styles including Japanese-style, Western-style, and Japanese-Western rooms, ensuring a comfortable stay. The facility also includes a lounge, gift shop, restaurant, and other well-equipped amenities.
Access Information for Nanbuya Kaisenkaku
- Official Website: https://www.kaisenkaku.com/
- Access: 5-minute walk from Asamushi-Onsen Station
- Address: 31 Asamushi Hotarudani, Aomori City, Aomori 039-3501
- Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/d4bVgRMZHqLvotvi6
Oirase Keiryu Hotel by Hoshino Resorts
Highlights of Oirase Keiryu Hotel
Oirase Keiryu Hotel by Hoshino Resorts is a resort hotel located within the Towada-Hachimantai National Park in Aomori Prefecture. Situated along the Oirase Stream, it offers beautiful natural scenery that changes with the seasons, providing visitors with both relaxation and adventure. The hotel is characterized by its accommodation experience that values a sense of unity with nature, making it ideal for those seeking relaxation and refreshment.
Relaxing Hot Springs and Spectacular Views
The hotel has hot spring facilities where you can relax while enjoying the magnificent scenery of the Oirase Stream. In particular, the open-air bath overlooking the stream lets you take in the seasonal scenery. In winter, the winter-only “Hyobaku no Yu,” where you can bathe while viewing illuminated ice falls, is a popular special experience.
Fine Dining with Local Ingredients
The hotel dining offers cuisine that makes the most of fresh Aomori-produced ingredients. Dishes featuring Aomori apples and French dinners are particularly popular. For a limited period from spring to autumn, breakfast can be enjoyed on a terrace overlooking the stream, making it ideal for starting a refreshing morning. Seasonal special menus are also available, allowing you to enjoy new flavors with each visit.
Comfortable Rooms and Excellent Facilities
The hotel has a total of 181 rooms, all designed to harmonize with nature. From the spacious rooms, you can enjoy beautiful views of the stream and forest, providing a relaxing space. The hotel also features an art gallery and shops where you can experience the region’s culture and crafts.
Wide Selection of Activities
Oirase Keiryu Hotel by Hoshino Resorts offers a variety of activities. From spring to autumn, nature experiences such as guided Oirase Stream walks and moss observation tours are available. In autumn, foliage tours are held to enjoy the beautiful autumn colors. In winter, you can enjoy night tours to view frozen waterfalls and walking tours through snowy landscapes.
Access Information for Oirase Keiryu Hotel
- Official Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/oirasekeiryu/
- Access: Shuttle bus service between the hotel and JR Hachinohe Station, Aomori Station, and Aomoriya (free from Hachinohe Station and Aomoriya, paid from Aomori Station; advance reservation required at least 2 days before / as of September 2026)
- Address: 231 Tochikubo, Okuse, Towada City, Aomori
- Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/hZUuMBVFZRfnE2GS7
Tsuta Onsen Ryokan
Highlights of Tsuta Onsen Ryokan
Tsuta Onsen Ryokan is a hot spring inn with a thousand-year history, located near Tsuta Marsh in Towada City, Aomori Prefecture. This ryokan is known as a resort facility where you can enjoy traditions dating back to the Heian period and a nature-rich environment. It provides visitors with healing and relaxation along with beautiful scenery that changes with the seasons.
Historic and Traditional Hot Springs
Tsuta Onsen Ryokan features “Kuan no Yu” and “Senkyo no Yu,” natural flowing hot springs that bubble up from below your feet, and have been loved by many literary figures since ancient times. These self-springing hot springs have also been used as therapeutic bathing facilities, warming you to your core. The colorless, transparent, and odorless springs are reputed to be gentle on the skin with excellent relaxation effects.
Fine Cuisine Using Local Ingredients
The ryokan’s meals feature kaiseki cuisine prepared with fresh, locally-sourced Aomori ingredients. Using abundant seasonal ingredients, you can enjoy simple yet deeply flavorful dishes. Dishes prepared with local seafood and mountain vegetables are particularly popular, and you can savor different flavors with each visit.
Comfortable Rooms and Excellent Facilities
The guest rooms at Tsuta Onsen Ryokan feature designs that value Japanese aesthetic sensibility, providing a quiet and calm atmosphere. Both the main building and west wing offer various room types including special rooms and Japanese-modern twin rooms, with many newly renovated rooms ensuring a comfortable stay. From each room, you can enjoy beautiful scenery that changes with the seasons.
Tohoku’s First Premium Detached Villas
The detached villas “Gekkan,” “Yackaku,” and “Hyotan,” newly opened in November 2022, are premium spaces produced by Japanese architectural master Kei Matsuba. These villas feature semi-open-air baths with natural flowing hot spring water, allowing you to spend private time. Each villa’s unique design and luxurious amenities provide a special stay.
Access Information for Tsuta Onsen Ryokan
- Official Website: http://tsutaonsen.com/
- Access: Free shuttle from the south exit of JR Shichinohe-Towada Station (departs 15:00 and 16:00; reservation required at least 3 days before your stay / as of September 2026). The inn closes for part of the winter (the 2025 season ended on November 24; the 2026 season opened on April 17).
- Address: 1 Tsutanoyu, Okuse, Towada City, Aomori 034-0301
- Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/6WgQrVVT2NtoyvtM8
