3 Days in Aomori with Kids: Our Winter Itinerary
Winter trip | Kids: a toddler and a preschooler
Why would anyone choose to visit Aomori in winter with two young kids in tow? That’s exactly what a few people asked us before this trip. But after three days in Aomori, we were really glad we took the chance on a winter trip.
Frozen ice falls. Outdoor onsen surrounded by snow. Fewer crowds than peak travel seasons. Aomori in winter has things you simply can’t see any other time of year — That was exactly why we wanted to visit in winter.
This post covers why we chose this trip and gives you the full itinerary, with links to detailed posts on each part of our journey.
Quick Info
| Area | Hachinohe & Oirase, Aomori Prefecture |
| Duration | 2 nights, 3 days |
| Transportation | Hayabusa Shinkansen from Omiya to Hachinohe; local taxis & community buses; Hoshino Resorts shuttle buses between hotels; JAL flight home from Misawa Airport |
| Season | Winter |
| Our kids | a toddler and a preschooler |
Our Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1: Riding the Hayabusa & Hachinohe Shinkansen ride from Omiya, exploring Hasshoku Center’s seafood market and enjoying a seafood BBQ lunch where we grilled everything ourselves at Shichirin-mura, before heading to our first hotel.
Day 1–2: Oirase Keiryu Hotel Checking into our first Hoshino Resorts stay, soaking in outdoor onsen with mountain views, an apple-themed buffet dinner, and a nighttime tour to see the winter-only frozen ice falls.
Day 2–3: Aomoriya Moving to our second hotel for a completely different experience — a Nebuta-style culture show, a free-flowing apple juice tap (an instant favorite with my kids), and a peaceful walk through a snow-covered park with ponies.
Why We Went
We had three main goals for this trip:
1. Enjoy the journey itself My son is obsessed with trains, so riding the Hayabusa Shinkansen and flying home on a small regional flight were both trip highlights in their own right — not just transportation to get somewhere else.
2. Experience Aomori’s nature, culture, and food Real Nebuta Festival happens in summer, but we got to experience it through a hotel performance instead. Oirase Gorge looks very different in winter from its lush green season — but that’s exactly when the famous ice falls form, a sight you simply can’t see any other time of year. And of course, Aomori’s apples and seafood are reason enough on their own.
3. Make the most of Hoshino Resorts in winter Since having kids, I’ve really come to appreciate Hoshino Resorts. Each property offers on-site activities tied to the local culture, which makes traveling with kids much easier. So you don’t need to go hunting for things to do or drag tired kids around town. Aomori has three distinct Hoshino Resorts properties, and we stayed one night each at two of them. Winter being off-season also meant noticeably better rates.
What My Kids Loved Most
Both kids
- The Michinoku Matsuriya show — they came home singing “Rassera Rassera” and doing the dance steps for weeks afterward
- Eating their way through Aomori’s famous apples — apple juice, apple chips, fresh apples, you name it
- Even a little time playing in real snow felt special — it rarely snows where we live
Our older one
- The onsen — she insisted on a morning bath at both hotels and declared “I’m definitely going again!” each time
Our younger one
- Riding the Hayabusa for the first time — he stood on the platform after we arrived, just watching the train pull away
Things to Know Before You Go
Snowfall varies a lot within the prefecture
We worried about heavy snow based on news reports, but Hachinohe had very little snow, while our hotels further inland were blanketed in it.
Hotel-to-hotel shuttle buses made winter travel much less stressful.
Staying at two connected Hoshino Resorts properties meant we never had to drive in winter conditions. Just note that schedules aren’t frequent, so build your itinerary around them.
Our Route at a Glance
A quick visual of everywhere we stayed and explored during our 3 days in Aomori.
