1Patisserie Yamazaki "Miracle Apple Karinto"

Aomori apple farmer Kimura Akinori has been trying for many years to grow apples without any pesticides or fertilizers, which became famous as "miracle apples" and were featured in books and movies. This karinto snack uses every last bit of this rare "miracle apple," including the flesh, skin, and seeds.
It has a rustic look with the apple seeds visible on the surface, and unlike regular "karinto", it is not coated with syrup, so you can enjoy its subtle sweetness and crunchy texture. It goes well with Japanese tea, black tea, and coffee, and is safe for small children. Patisserie Yamazaki also sells many other products made with the "Miracle Apple", such as herbal tea, arare, and cold soup, which are also popular.

Miracle Apple Karinto 130g 650 yen (also sold separately)
Expiration date: 2 months from date of manufacture

Patisserie Yamazaki

• http://www.r-yamazaki.com/
• 36 Oyakatacho, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture MAP
• Take the Dotemachi circular bus from Hirosaki Bus Terminal, get off at Mutsu Shimposha, then walk for 4 minutes
• 10:00～21:00
• Monday
• 0172-34-7469
• None

2Ragnoo's "Patissier's Apple Sticks" and "Polo Chocolat"

"Patissier's Apple Sticks" are sweets made by cutting apples from Aomori into large pieces and wrapping them in pie crust together with sponge cake. Warming them in a toaster oven brings out the crispy texture of the pie crust, while chilling them in the refrigerator enhances the freshness of the apples, so either is recommended.
The chocolate cake "Polo Chocolat" is also very popular. Despite being reasonably priced, it is made with high-purity chocolate and plenty of milk from Hokkaido, and the chocolate kneaded into the cake melts in your mouth, giving it a luxurious taste.

Patissier's Apple Sticks (5 sticks) 775 yen
Best before date: 45 days from date of manufacture (at room temperature)

Polo Chocolat 361 yen
Expiration date: 100 days from date of manufacture

Hyakusekicho Ragnoo SAKI

• http://www.rag-s.com/
• Aomori Prefecture Hirosaki City Momoishicho 9 Ragnoo Sasaki Head Office 1FMAP
• Take the Dotemachi circular bus from Hirosaki Bus Terminal, get off at Shimodotemachi, and walk for a short distance.
• 8:00～19:00
• Tuesdays (irregular holidays)
• 0172-33-2122
• free

3KOMEKUUTO "PeboRa"

KOMEKUUTO is a store that sells rice, foods that go well with rice, stylish tableware and kitchen goods. One thing that catches your eye in the store is "PeboRa". After independently inspecting rice from all over Japan, 40 varieties of rice carefully selected by rice masters are bottled in plastic bottles. All are pre-rinsed and come in two-cup bottles, making it convenient for tasting brands of rice that interest you. Choose a cute package and it will make a great souvenir. From Aomori, there are five varieties in the lineup: "Hekireki", "Tsugaru Roman", "Masshigura", "Asayuki", and "Natural Farming Rice". There is also a series of mixed grain rice and brown rice that do not require soaking, which are also very popular.

PeboRa 400 yen to 600 yen
Expiration date: 1 year from the date of polishing

KOMEKUUTO Misawa store

• http://www.komekuuto.jp/
• 154-264 Inuokaze Furumaki, Misawa City, Aomori Prefecture MAP
• 5 minutes by taxi from Misawa Station
• 10:00～18:00
• Sundays and holidays
• 0176-27-1265
• free

4Confectionery shop Osakaya "Bamboo Nagashi"

Founded in 1630 (Kan'ei 7), this long-established Japanese sweets shop was a purveyor to the Tsugaru domain. Inside the store, there is a chest of drawers decorated with the peony, the family crest of the Tsugaru domain, giving the shop a traditional feel.
Their signature product, "Takenagashi," is a rice cracker that allows you to enjoy the aroma of soba noodles and the subtle sweetness of honey, and the ingredients have remained unchanged for 245 years since its release. Its greatest feature is its thinness. When you open the can, you will find more than 100 rice crackers packed tightly inside.
According to the 13th generation owner, this is "the most time-consuming sweet." To ensure a uniform taste and thinness, the way the syrup is stuffed changes depending on the season, and even today, each one is hand-baked by a craftsman.

Bamboo floating 1,620 yen
Expiration date: 4 months from date of manufacture

Confectionery Osakaya

• https://aomori-miryoku.com/2011/01/31/大阪屋/
• 20 Honmachi, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture MAP
• Take the Dotemachi circular bus from Hirosaki Bus Terminal, get off at University Hospital, then walk for 3 minutes
• 8:30-18:00 (8:30-17:00 on Sundays)
• New Year's Day only
• 0172-32-6191
• free

5Kaiundo's "Manji Monaka" and "Takamaru-kun Sable"

Kaiundo, located in the center of Hirosaki City, is a long-established Japanese confectionery store founded in 1879. The famous confection "Manji Monaka" is a historic item that was created in 1906 (Meiji 39) when permission was granted to use the "manji", the flag of the Tsugaru Domain, on the 300th anniversary of the death of Lord Tsugaru Narinobu. The white bean paste sprinkled with red beans has an elegant sweetness that is appealing. There is also a cherry-colored Manji Monaka that is sold from spring to early summer, and this one has a soft cherry blossom scent. We also recommend the sable with the branding of Hirosaki City's mascot "Takamaru-kun". It is characterized by its buttery aroma and crispy texture, and the flavors of green angelica and red cherry add a nice accent.

Manji Monaka 141 yen
Expiration date: 10 days

Takamaru-kun Sable 346 yen
Expiration date: 3 months from date of manufacture

Kaiundo

• https://aomori-miryoku.com/2011/02/03/開雲堂/
• 83 Dotemachi, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture MAP
• Take the Dotemachi circular bus from Hirosaki Bus Terminal, get off at Nakadotemachi, and then walk for a short distance.
• 9:00～18:00
• Tuesday
• 0172-32-2354
• Designated Parking available

6Café de Ami "Cosmopolitan Pie"

This European Restaurant in Goshogawara offers high-quality pies. There are always 10 to 12 varieties in stock, including traditional European pies, apple pies made with local red apples, and pies made with seasonal fruits. All pies are baked the night before, as letting the finished pies rest overnight enhances their flavor. The popular "Cosmopolitan Pie" is a gratin pie masterpiece with a crispy crust, juicy shrimp and chicken, and a thick white sauce. Simply warm it lightly in the toaster oven, then heat it in the microwave for about 20 seconds to enjoy its luxurious aroma and texture.

Cosmopolitan pie whole (21cm) 2,800 yen
*If kept refrigerated, it can be enjoyed for up to 3 days.

Cafe de Ami

• https://www.facebook.com/cafedeami
• 175-1 Funabashi, Oaza Ubagata, Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture MAP
• 9 minutes by taxi from Goshogawara Station
• 10:00～21:00
• Tuesdays, irregular holidays
• 0173-34-6072
• free

7Confectionery workshop Kyokandou "Rokan"

Kyokandou Confectionery Workshop, which was founded 46 years ago, offers a variety of original Western sweets, including those made with ingredients from Aomori Prefecture and Towada.
Among them, the famous "Rokan" is a dish of white bean paste sandwiched between sponge cake and coated with sweet bean paste. Its beautiful, sparkling emerald green appearance is very impressive.
"Rōkan" is the highest quality jadeite. The owner of the shop decided to make it into a confectionery after the poet Kujō Takeko once wrote a poem about it, comparing it to the color of Lake Towada.
The chewy texture of the yokan and the sponge go well together, and the smooth bean paste has a refined sweetness. The bean paste contains finely chopped Aomori-grown "Kodama" apples and rum raisins, making it a flavorful masterpiece that perfectly matches the catchphrase "A jewel sprinkled with the blessings of Aomori."

Rokan 150 yen
Shelf life: 2 weeks

Confectionery Workshop Kyokando

• 20-25 Higashi-12ban-cho, Towada City, Aomori Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 21 minutes by taxi from Misawa Station or Shichinohe-Towada Station
• Shop 9:00-22:00, Cafe - 20:00 (Last orders 19:30)
• Open daily
• 0176-22-0976
• free
• Please check before visiting as there may be cases where Langkan is not available. Reservations are accepted up until the day before, and are for 10 or more.

8Hanaman Foods "Nakayoshi"

"Nakayoshi" is a long-selling product that combines high-quality squid caught at Hachinohe Port with a special cheese that took three years to develop, and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
The fragrant cheese and plump, squid-like texture are exquisite, and it goes well with both tea and alcohol, making it a popular souvenir from Aomori. In addition to the "original" shown in the photo, "black pepper-flavored," which goes well with beer, and "camembert-flavored," which has a mellow, rich flavor, are also popular. We recommend buying three types and comparing them.

Nakayoshi: From 497 yen (price varies depending on size)
Expiration date: Approximately 90 days from the date of manufacture

Hanaman Foods (in-house sales space)

• https://hanaman.net/
• 24-11 Mishimashita, Shirogane-cho, Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture MAP
• 8 minutes walk from Mutsuminato Station
• 8:00～17:00
• Sunday
• 0178-33-0353（代表）
• free