When I visit a city known as a castle town, in addition to the castle itself, I'm always drawn to visiting the burial grounds and family temples of the castle lord's family. While you might imagine that these family burial grounds are all concentrated in one place, there are actually several...
Aoiwa
I was surprised by the news report that "there were lions in Japan too" (announced by the Graduate University for Advanced Studies in January 2026). Originally, Paleolithic artifacts (approximately 125,000) have been unearthed in Aomori Prefecture...
The Training Process to Become an Itako We've looked at examples of the shamanistic practices performed by Itako, but what kind of training is necessary to become an Itako? Currently, new Itako...
Introduction While reverence for intangible things like "prayer" and "faith" is still valued today, in the past in Japan, these were even more closely intertwined with daily life. That...
"Japanese fossil tigers were actually lions." In January 2026, a shocking research finding was announced. Furthermore, the research subject was a fossil discovered at Shiriyazaki (Higashidori Village) on the Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture...
Juniko Lakes (Juniko) is a collective term for an area in southwestern Aomori Prefecture that includes many lakes and ponds nestled in a forested area at an altitude of about 150 meters, extending from the Shirakami-Sanchi World Heritage Site. There are 33 lakes and ponds in total.
The scent of Aomori Hiba contains a special ingredient not found in Japanese cypress: hinokitiol. Hinokitiol is a natural extract with strong antibacterial and antiseptic properties.
Aomori cypress is used in many buildings, including the Golden Hall of Chusonji Temple in Hiraizumi (Hiraizumi Town, Iwate Prefecture), which has remained unreconstructed for over 900 years, Hirosaki Castle, which was built in the early Edo period, and I...
Aomori Hiba (Thujopsis dolabrata) is a tree endemic to Japan, and its Japanese scientific name is Hinoki Asunaro. It grows north from the Noto Peninsula and Nikko region of Tochigi Prefecture, and up to the Oshima Peninsula in Hokkaido...
Have you ever heard of "Fukaura Snow Carrots"? They're grown in Fukaura, Aomori Prefecture, and are said to be so sweet and flavorful that even those who don't like carrots will be captivated.
