6 Best Sights in Aomori, Tohoku

South of Mt. Iwaki are the Shirakami Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is home to the world's largest virgin beech forest. The area is truly pristine and great for hiking. If you don't have a car, take the Konan bus from Hirosaki Bus Terminal or Hirosaki Station bound for Tsugaru Touge from June to October, getting off at Tashiro (55 minutes) and walking about five minutes to the visitor center or at Aqua Green Village, Anmon (90 minutes) to see get to the Anmon Falls. If you want to see the Mother Tree—the forest's largest, and presumably oldest tree—get off at the last stop, Tsugaru Toge (two hours, 10 minutes); the tree is a five-minute walk from there. Only a few buses run daily and only at certain times of the year, so check with the visitor's center or your hotel to be sure of departure times and bus stops. Also note that the road beyond Aqua Green Village only opens around July each year.

This contemporary arts museum houses a collection of works by Munakata Shiko (1903–75), Nara Yoshitomo (1959–), and Terayama Shuji (1935–83). Another highlight is three of Marc Chagall's backdrops created for the ballet Aleko (the fourth belongs to the Philadelphia Museum of Art). Unlike many museums in which gift shops are near the entrance and packed with people, the gift shop here sits quietly in a corner upstairs, seemingly asking visitors to enjoy art first before shopping. Outside, don't miss the statue of Aomori-ken (ken sounds like both the words for prefecture and dog) waits in front of his food dish.

Fish, shellfish, preserved seaweed, and fish eggs—in short, all manner of marine organisms—are hawked by hundreds of vendors in this seafood market. It's one block east of JR Aomori Station, in the basement level of a modern building with distinctive crimson pillars.

If you can't visit Aomori during the Nebuta Festival, you can see the glowing papier-mâché sculptures painted with the fierce countenances of warriors from the past year's festival at this museum, right by Aomori Station. There are floats on display, but you can also learn how they are made and interact with a variety of exhibits. 

Want to know what it was like to live in this area 5,500 years ago? One of the country's largest archaeological sites, this features a reconstruction of a Jomon settlement that lasted for roughly 1,500 years, from 3500 to 2000 BC. After an extensive excavation, it was opened to the public and has attracted crowds of children on school outings, tourists from all over, and, of course, archaeology buffs. Its interactive approach encourages visitors to try their hands at making crafts and cuisine. Free English-language tours can be arranged if you call in advance.

Milky, highly acidic water floods into the large cedar bathhouse known as a sennin-buro, a 1,000-person bath. Designated as a national health resort, Sukayu draws many travelers to its curative waters. It has a reputation for the best mixed-bathing in the nation. Several hours are reserved for women only. The trip is one hour from Oirase Gorge and 70 minutes from Aomori. From JR Aomori Station East Exit, take the bus bound for Towada-ko. If you are going to stay the night at the onsen's hotel, you can take the free shuttle bus from Auga's parking lot at 10:15 am or 2 pm daily.