Hachinohe with Kids: Riding the Hayabusa & Visiting Hasshoku Center
Day 1 of our Aomori winter trip | Kids: a toddler and a preschooler
We originally saw Hachinohe as just a transit stop, but the seafood ended up being a highlight of the day — and getting to ride the Hayabusa for the first time made the journey feel special too.
This is part of our 3-day Aomori winter trip with kids — covering the journey north, our stop in Hachinohe, and the trip to our first hotel.
Quick Info
| Route | Omiya → Hachinohe (Hayabusa Shinkansen) → Hasshoku Center → Oirase Keiryu Hotel |
| Travel time | About 2.5 hours by Shinkansen, plus local transit |
| Season | Winter |
| Our kids | a toddler and a preschooler |
Riding the Hayabusa with Kids
The journey from Omiya to Hachinohe takes about 2.5 hours on the Hayabusa. My son, who is obsessed with trains, was absolutely thrilled watching the Hayabusa and Komachi cars coupling together — something he’d clearly been looking forward to.
One thing worth knowing: Omiya Station’s platform doesn’t have safety barriers in certain areas. That made me a little nervous with a toddler, so it’s worth paying extra attention on the platform.
Hachinohe Station to Hasshoku Center
We were able to store our luggage at the tourist information center at Hachinohe Station, which made the rest of the day much easier. The community bus only runs about once an hour, and the timing didn’t line up for us, so we took a taxi to Hasshoku Center instead.
We’d been a little worried going into this trip — there had been news reports of heavy snowfall in Aomori that winter — but we were surprised to find very little snow in Hachinohe itself. According to our taxi driver, snowfall varies a lot by area within Aomori, and Hachinohe tends to be milder.
Hasshoku Center is a market featuring fresh seafood caught at Hachinohe port, along with local souvenirs. My kids were fascinated by the huge octopus and fish on display. There’s also a kids’ play area called Kuriya Land — we ended up not needing it, but it’s there if you have extra time or restless little ones.
→ Hasshoku Center English site
Lunch at Shichirin-mura
This was a highlight for us. Shichirin-mura is a restaurant where you grill your own seafood over a charcoal grill (shichirin) right at your table. You check in at the restaurant, get seated, and then head into the market to pick out whatever seafood you want to grill. They lend you the grill, tongs, and basic seasonings — just note that you can’t bring in anything you didn’t buy at Hasshoku Center.
My kids were excited, calling out “I want that one! I want this one!” the whole time we were picking seafood. Watching things cook on the grill held their attention completely (keeping our toddler from touching the hot grill was a slightly different story 😅).
My top recommendation: the scallops. They were Aomori specialties, bigger than any scallop I’d ever seen, and incredibly tender. One of the best things we ate on this trip.
Heading to Oirase Keiryu Hotel
From Hasshoku Center, we took the community bus back to Hachinohe Station, then a shuttle bus from there to Oirase Keiryu Hotel.
One of the best decisions we made for this trip was staying at two Hoshino Resorts properties back to back. Free shuttle buses connected the stations and hotels, which meant we didn’t need a rental car — a real relief, since neither of us was confident driving in winter conditions up there.
Hachinohe itself had very little snow, but as we got closer to the hotel, the snow piled up noticeably — our kids, who rarely see snow at home, were shouting “Yuki da!” (It’s snow!) with pure excitement by the time we arrived.
What My Kids Loved Most
Our younger one
- Watching the Hayabusa and Komachi trains couple together at the start of the journey
- Picking out seafood to grill at Shichirin-mura (closely supervised near the hot grill!)
Our older one
- Grilling and eating fresh scallops at lunch
- The huge octopus and fish on display at Hasshoku Center
Things to Know Before You Go
Snowfall varies a lot within Aomori
Don’t assume the whole prefecture will look the same. We worried about heavy snow based on news reports, but Hachinohe itself had very little snow. Check conditions for your specific destination rather than the prefecture as a whole.
Community buses run infrequently
If you’re relying on community buses in this area, check the schedule carefully — they can run as infrequently as once per hour. Budget for taxis as a backup.
Shichirin-mura has a “buy here first” rule
You can only grill seafood you’ve purchased at Hasshoku Center itself — outside food isn’t allowed at the grill tables.
FAQ
Is Hasshoku Center good for kids? Yes, but it’s still a busy seafood market rather than a kid-focused attraction. There’s plenty to look at — fresh seafood, giant fish, even octopus on display — plus a dedicated play area called Kuriya Land. Just keep an eye on little ones and avoid letting them run around.
How do you get from Hachinohe Station to Hasshoku Center? By community bus (roughly once an hour) or taxi. We used a taxi due to bus timing.
Can young kids participate in the Shichirin-mura grilling experience? Yes, though young toddlers should be watched closely near the hot grill. Older kids will love picking out their own seafood to cook. Outside food isn’t allowed at the grill tables.
Our Route at a Glance
A quick visual of everywhere we stayed and explored during our 3 days in Aomori.
