Japan's Hidden Gems｜Aomori Nebuta Festival: 5 Days 4 Nights Summer Escape Guide

There’s always a summer to embrace the Oirase Stream! I visited Aomori once five years ago and have never forgotten it, so this summer I brought my child to hike in Aomori! We booked the much-anticipated Hoshino Oirase Keiryu Hotel and joined the lively Nebuta Festival. Can’t wait to share my 5-day Aomori itinerary with everyone.

D1️⃣
✈️ Osaka - Aomori - 🚌 Aomori Museum of Art - 🚌 Hoshino Oirase Keiryu Hotel
Museum ticket 700 JPY, free for under 18, buy on site. Features works by Yoshitomo Nara and Shiko Munakata, definitely worth it.
🏨 Booked the Hoshino Oirase Keiryu Hotel shuttle in advance on the official website, boarded at 3 PM at Aomori Station West Exit, arrived at the hotel around 5 PM.

D2️⃣
🚶 Oirase Stream Hiking
The hotel offers a free shuttle bus to Oirase. In the morning, took the hotel bus to Kumoi Falls, hiked to Towadako Konokuchi, had lunch, then took the JR bus back to Kumoi Falls, and hiked to Ishigedo. Finally, took the hotel bus back to the hotel. (There are no trash bins along Oirase except at rest stops, very eco-friendly, so you need to carry out your trash after lunch.)
Staying at Oirase Keiryu Hotel gives you plenty of time, so you can enjoy a whole day without rushing for transportation.

D3️⃣
🚌 Oirase Stream - Hoshino Aomoriya
Checked out at 11 AM and headed to Aomoriya. Staying at Hoshino hotels means no worries about transportation. There is a shuttle bus between Oirase Keiryu Hotel and Aomoriya, arriving around noon. This day was mostly spent enjoying Aomoriya.

D4️⃣
🚌 Misawa - Kabushima Shrine - Aomoriya (Attend Nebuta Festival)
Left in the morning for Kabushima Shrine. Unfortunately, the seagulls had flown away, not as picturesque as I imagined, but the coastal walk is still worth it.
Returned to Aomoriya in the afternoon, took the hotel bus at 4 PM to Aomori to join the Nebuta Festival.
During the Nebuta Festival, staying at Aomoriya allows you to take the hotel shuttle to the festival site, with reserved seats and bento boxes. The hotel staff also provide Nebuta Festival materials, making the experience even more special. Highly recommend visiting during the Nebuta Festival; the live atmosphere is incredibly impressive.

D5️⃣
✈️ Misawa - Osaka

👔
Overall, summer in Aomori is very comfortable, temperatures don’t exceed 30°C. Hiking Oirase is very friendly, with no steep slopes, suitable for all ages. However, long sleeves and pants are necessary to protect against mosquitoes. Oirase Stream