Auga Fresh Market

Auga Fresh Market is a market spread across the basement of the building called "Auga," located just a one-minute walk from JR Aomori Station. Around 90 shops line the market, selling mainly seafood along with vegetables, fruit, sweets, and more. The market’s eateries serve fresh local seafood, and because it opens from 5:00 a.m., it is a great idea to stay at your hotel without breakfast and head here early for a morning seafood meal. One shop called "Ringo Bako" opens at 11:00 and offers Aomori local dishes as well as live Tsugaru shamisen performances. From 19:00 to 23:00 it becomes an izakaya-style time, making it a good stop after sightseeing. At the market’s only sweets shop, "Okashi no Itofuku," you can buy Aomori specialties such as kujira-mochi and unpei kuchitori, a celebratory confection in the Tsugaru region. Unpei kuchitori is made from glutinous rice flour and sugar and comes in colorful shapes such as sea bream and shrimp. The gift box features a Tsugaru-lacquer-inspired design, making it a perfect souvenir.