Aomoriya with Kids: Nebuta Performance & Family-Friendly Ryokan Stay
Day 2–3 of our Aomori winter trip | Kids: a toddler and a preschooler
This is the final part of our 3-day Aomori winter trip with kids — covering our stay at Aomoriya, our second Hoshino Resorts stop. If Oirase Keiryu Hotel felt calm and refined, Aomoriya felt livelier, with more families and a more playful atmosphere overall.
Quick Info
| Location | Aomori (near Misawa) |
| Stay length | 1 night |
| Room type | Entsuko (room name) |
| Kid policy | Children up to 6 could share a futon with us at no extra cost |
| Best known for | Daily Nebuta-style culture show, free-flowing apple juice tap |
| Season visited | Winter |
| Our kids | a toddler and a preschooler |
Moving to Aomoriya
We took the hotel shuttle bus from Oirase Keiryu Hotel to Aomoriya. In winter, having a shuttle between hotels was really helpful — though the schedule isn’t frequent, so you’ll need to plan your itinerary around it.
Aomoriya is a large hotel, and we noticed a lot more families and even multi-generational groups staying here compared to Oirase. The whole hotel is designed to let guests experience Aomori’s culture without ever needing to leave.
The Room
We stayed in a room called “Entsuko.” The kids slept alongside us on futons (kids up to 6 could share at no extra cost — the same policy as Oirase). The bed height was nice and low, so there was no worry about kids hurting themselves if they rolled off. There was also a sunken kotatsu-style table, and our kids kept crawling under it just because the setup felt so unusual.
The Onsen
The hotel has an indoor bath, plus guests can also access “Motoyu,” a separate bath a short walk from the hotel. In winter, the outdoor bath had Nebuta floats floating in the surrounding pond — a magical sight. Motoyu required a bit of a walk, so I went alone early in the morning to enjoy it in peace.
The Highlight: Michinoku Matsuriya
If you only do one thing at Aomoriya, make it this. Michinoku Matsuriya is a show where you experience festivals and culture from across Aomori, including Tsugaru shamisen performances — Hachinohe Sansha Taisai, Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri, Aomori Nebuta Matsuri, all in one place.
The show requires a separate reservation and extra fee in addition to your hotel stay. Even before entering the venue, we spotted several Nebuta floats along the way, which helped build excitement for the show. I’d always wanted to see the real Nebuta Matsuri, but it gets extremely crowded, making it tough with young kids — so being able to experience all of it indoors was wonderful.
Our kids stayed engaged throughout the show. At the end, anyone who wants to can join the performers on stage to dance. Note: most sections of the show prohibit photography, so don’t expect to capture much on camera — just be present for it.
Beyond the show itself, two more things really added to the Aomori experience: the apple juice tap — a literal faucet that dispenses apple juice, which my kids kept returning to throughout our stay — and Jawamegu Plaza, decorated with Nebuta floats, where even a simple walk felt festive.
Food
We ate both dinner and breakfast at Noresore Shokudo, a buffet-style restaurant serving Aomori’s regional cuisine, including the well-known senbei-jiru (cracker soup). Mostly Japanese food, with some Western and Chinese dishes mixed in.
Dinner standout: tempura, especially the apple and garlic versions — both Aomori specialties, and both were surprisingly good. For breakfast, a staff member recommended the curry and “Umeja-don” (a rice bowl where you can add your own sashimi). They also suggested topping it with shredded squid and tororo kombu, then pouring broth over it ochazuke-style — surprisingly good.
A Final Walk Through Shibusawa Park
Right next to the hotel is a large park, Komaki Onsen Shibusawa Park. The grounds felt bigger than we expected, and it ended up taking our kids about an hour to walk the full loop. In winter, Nebuta floats depicting the 12 zodiac animals are illuminated throughout the grounds, and they looked beautiful against the snowy scenery. Our younger one ran up to each one, calling out “Monkey!” and “Sheep!” before posing next to them.
The central pond was frozen over, and the kids were fascinated watching it. There were ponies in the park too, and we passed a horse-drawn carriage along the way — an enjoyable, low-key walk to end our stay.
Checkout was easy too — Aomoriya provides free shuttle service to Misawa Airport, and our kids spent the wait at the gate watching planes take off and land, asking “Is that the one we’re flying on?”
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
- The apple juice tap — visited it again and again throughout the stay
- Spotting and posing with the illuminated zodiac Nebuta floats in the park
Our younger one
- Running up to each zodiac Nebuta float in the park, calling out the animal names
Things to Know Before You Go
The Michinoku Matsuriya show costs extra and has limited photography
It’s a separate reservation and fee on top of your room rate, and most sections don’t allow photos or video — go in expecting to experience it rather than document it.
Motoyu bath requires a short walk
If you want the separate “Motoyu” bath experience, be ready for a short walk from the main hotel building.
FAQ
Is Aomoriya good for families with young children? We saw plenty of families with young kids and multi-generational groups during our stay, and it felt more family-friendly than Oirase Keiryu Hotel.
Is the Michinoku Matsuriya show worth it with young kids? It depends on your child — the show can feel loud, dark, and a bit long for some kids, but ours stayed engaged and many other families attended as well.
How do you get from Aomoriya to the airport? Aomoriya offers free shuttle service to Misawa Airport.
Our Route at a Glance
A quick visual of everywhere we stayed and explored during our 3 days in Aomori.
