Shin-Chuo Wharf Cruise Terminal → JR Aomori Station & Wa Rasse
From the terminal exit, walk along the waterfront promenade toward Aomori Bay Bridge to reach Nebuta Museum WA RASSE and the east exit of JR Aomori Station.
Cruise port in Japan
Aomori
Allow about 5 min each way from the terminal to the city center. Average time in port: 10 hours. 24 places to explore.
- Ships calling here
- 10 ships
- Upcoming sailings
- 72 sailings
- Average time in port
- About 10 hours
- Lowest fare
- From USD 1,114
Photo: Image by veronica111886 from Pixabay
After disembarking
Cruise ships dock at Shin-Chuo Pier. Allow about 5 min each way from the terminal to the city center.
- Where the ship docks
Cruise ships dock at Shin-Chuo Pier.
- Walkable Waterfront Access from Aomori Port's Shin-Chuo Pier
Aomori Port's Shin-Chuo Pier, where cruise ships mainly berth, is on the downtown waterfront. Warasse, A-FACTORY, and ASPAM are a 5–15-minute walk away.
- How to Use Nokke-don at Aomori Gyosai Center and Closing Day
At Aomori Gyosai Center, buy meal tickets at the information desk, then add rice and your choice of seafood yourself for nokke-don. The center is regularly closed on Tuesdays.
- Train to Hirosaki
From JR Aomori Station, take the Ou Main Line to Hirosaki Station, famous for cherry blossoms and its castle. The journey takes about 40–50 minutes.
About 10 hours in port: where can you go?
Time available at the destination after subtracting return travel.
- Aomori city centreAbout 5 min each wayTime at destinationAbout 9 hr 30 min
- HirosakiAbout 50 min each wayTime at destinationAbout 8 hr
Return travel Time at destination
Calculated from the average time in port. Return deadlines vary by sailing; check the daily programme on board.
Between the terminal, city and airport
Travel between the terminal, city center, railway station and airport.
JR Aomori Station → JR Hirosaki Station
At JR Aomori Station, take a local train on the Ou Main Line toward Hirosaki or the limited express Tsugaru, and get off at Hirosaki Station.
JR Aomori Station East Exit → Sannai-Maruyama Site
At platform 6 of the bus stop in front of the east exit of JR Aomori Station, take an Aomori City Bus or the Nebutan-go sightseeing loop bus (ねぶたん号) and get off at the Sannai-Maruyama Site stop.
Aomori places to explore
Explore 17 checked places. Select a pin to see its card, or choose View on map from a card.
Nebuta Museum WA RASSE
An exhibition hall displaying large Nebuta floats that have actually appeared in the Aomori Nebuta Festival year-round, with an opportunity to explore the festival’s history.
- Visit
- about 1 hr
- Admission
- JPY 620
At certain times in the afternoon, the Haneto festival dance and drumming experience is held.
ASPAM (Aomori Prefecture Tourist Center)
A triangular coastal landmark shaped like the letter A, with a Mutsu Bay panoramic viewpoint, panoramic theater, and large local-products shop.
- Visit
- about 1 hr
- Admission
- JPY 850
The first-floor souvenir shop is free to enter; a ticket is required for the 13th-floor observation deck and video hall.
Sannai-Maruyama Site
A large Early and Middle Jōmon settlement site from about 5,900 years ago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site preserving six-post raised-floor building sites and reconstructed dwellings.
- Visit
- about 1 hr 30 min
- Admission
- JPY 410
The outdoor restoration area is extensive, so dress for the weather and be prepared to walk.
Aomori Museum of Art
An art museum exhibiting modern works by Aomori artists, including Yoshitomo Nara's giant Aomori-ken sculpture and Chagall's Aleko backdrops.
- Visit
- about 1 hr 20 min
- Admission
- JPY 510
Closed on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.
Hakkoda Maru Memorial Ship
The actual ferry that connected Honshu and Hokkaido before the Seikan Tunnel opened, preserved as a museum with its wheelhouse, engine room, and old rail freight cars on the vehicle deck.
- Visit
- about 50 min
- Admission
- JPY 510
The visit involves using stairs between decks inside the ship, so comfortable shoes are recommended.
Gappo Park
A coastal park facing Mutsu Bay, where pine forest and cherry-blossom paths lead directly to a sandy beach.
- Visit
- about 45 min
- Admission
- Free
A spring cherry blossom festival destination and a pleasant route for a seaside walk in the breeze.
Trips nearby
With enough time in port, you can explore beyond the city. One-way times are approximate.
Hirosaki
About 50 min each wayTime at destination About 8 hr
SightsHirosaki CastleA nationally designated Important Cultural Property, built in 1611 and home to the only surviving original castle keep in the Tōhoku region, at the center of Hirosaki Park surrounded by 2,600 cherry trees.
The interior visitor route may change depending on the progress of repairs to the main keep.
SightsTsugaru-han Neputa VillageA cultural venue displaying full-size fan-shaped lanterns from the Hirosaki Neputa Festival, with live traditional Tsugaru shamisen and craft activities.
It is a good idea to check the shamisen performance schedule at the information desk before entering.
SightsFujita Memorial GardenA large Japanese garden created in the Taishō period, combining a borrowed-scenery garden with views of Mount Iwaki and a red-tiled Western-style wooden building.
You can try Hirosaki’s signature apple pie at the café in the Western-style building in the garden.
Food and cafésTaisho Roman Tea RoomA café in the sunroom terrace of the Western-style building in Fujita Memorial Garden, where you can compare handmade apple pies from several Hirosaki shops.
There may be a wait for window seats overlooking the garden.
Food and cafésRestaurant YamazakiA fine-dining restaurant famous for cold apple soup made with Akinori Kimura's pesticide- and fertilizer-free 'miracle apples' and French courses featuring Tsugaru ingredients.
Guests with advance reservations are given priority for the lunch course.
SightsZenringai (Chosho-ji)A peaceful Edo-period Zen temple street, with 33 Sōtō Zen temples lined up, led by Chōshōji, the bodaiji (family temple) of the Tsugaru clan.
Walking through the district is free; an admission fee is charged only to enter the main hall at Chosho-ji.
Food and cafésSalon de Cafe AngeOn the first floor of the former Tōgijuku Western-style building beside the former Hirosaki City Library, it serves apple galette and apple pie in an antique atmosphere.
The area is clustered with modern Western-style buildings, including the former library, making it convenient to visit them together.
Cruises calling at Aomori
72 sailings are grouped into 67 cruises by ship and route.
Holland America Line2 departure dates1 sailing available to book
Sailing 2027.03 ~ 2027.04Asia cruises · 14 nights · Long cruise
14-Day Circle Japan
Tokyo departure · round trip
Lowest departure fareFrom USD 3,699
Holland America LineSailing 2027.03Asia cruises · 28 nights · Long cruise
28-Day Circle Japan Collector
Tokyo departure · round trip
Per person, double occupancyCheck with the booking provider
Princess CruisesBook now
Sailing 2027.03Asia cruises · 23 nights · Long cruise
Grand Circle Japan Cherry Blossoms
Tokyo departure · round trip
Per person, double occupancyFrom USD 4,468
Princess CruisesBook now
Sailing 2027.04Asia cruises · 24 nights · Long cruise
Grand Circle Japan Cherry Blossoms
Tokyo departure · round trip
Per person, double occupancyFrom USD 4,575
Princess CruisesBook now
Sailing 2027.04Asia cruises · 21 nights · Long cruise
Grand Circle Japan Cherry Blossoms
Yokohama departure · round trip
Per person, double occupancyFrom USD 4,512
Princess CruisesBook now
Sailing 2027.04Asia cruises · 13 nights · Long cruise
Circle Japan Cherry Blossoms
Tokyo departure · round trip
Per person, double occupancyFrom USD 2,801
Holland America LineSailing 2027.04Asia cruises · 29 nights · Long cruise
29-Day Japan & North Pacific Crossing Collector
Tokyo → Vancouver, British Columbia
Per person, double occupancyCheck with the booking provider
Princess CruisesBook now
Sailing 2027.04Asia cruises · 9 nights · Mid-length cruise
Hokkaido Cherry Blossoms
Yokohama departure · round trip
Per person, double occupancyFrom USD 2,725
Princess CruisesBook now
Sailing 2027.04Asia cruises · 11 nights · Long cruise
Hokkaido Cherry Blossoms
Tokyo departure · round trip
Per person, double occupancyFrom USD 2,013
Regent Seven Seas CruisesSailing 2027.05Asia cruises · 19 nights · Long cruise
Epic Pacific Passage
Tokyo → Vancouver, British Columbia
Per person, double occupancyFrom USD 19,499
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht CollectionSailing 2027.05Transatlantic cruises · 15 nights · Long cruise
Tokyo to Whittier
Tokyo → Whittier
Per person, double occupancyFrom USD 12,200
Princess CruisesBook now
Sailing 2027.05Asia cruises · 18 nights · Long cruise
Grand Circle Japan
Tokyo departure · round trip
Per person, double occupancyFrom USD 3,219
67 cruises call at this port.
Ships calling at Aomori
Explore cabin types, dining and deck facilities for each ship.
Princess Cruises · 20 sailings
Diamond Princess
7 cabin types · 17 dining venues · 27 entertainment options · 13 decks
Explore the ship
Princess Cruises · 16 sailings
Sapphire Princess
7 cabin types · 15 dining venues · 23 entertainment options · 13 decks
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Regent Seven Seas Cruises · 11 sailings
Seven Seas Splendor
10 cabin types · 10 dining venues · 39 entertainment options · 10 decks
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Holland America Line · 8 sailings
Noordam
9 cabin types · 6 dining venues · 18 entertainment options · 11 decks
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About Aomori
Aomori's main event is its Nebuta Matsuri Festival,held August 2 to 7. People come to see illuminated floats of gigantic samurai figures paraded through the streets at night. Aomori's festival is one of Japan's largest, and is said to celebrate the euphoria of post-battle victory, and is thus encouraged to be noisier and livelier than you may have been exposed to in other Japanese festivals. Dancers, called heneto, run alongside the floats, dancing crazily, and you're encouraged to join in. Throughout the year you can enjoy delicious seafood from Aomori Bay, including Oma no Maguro (tuna of Oma), as well as delicious fruits and vegetables (particularly garlic). And come every summer, the town cuts loose to throw the decidedly wild Nebuta Matsuri festival, a frenzied, utterly unaccountable period when normal gets thrown to the wind.
Cruise lines calling here: 6 places
Celebrity CruisesHolland America LineNorwegian Cruise LinePrincess CruisesRegent Seven Seas CruisesThe Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
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