[Japan: Aomori] Review: Hoshino Resorts Aomoriya

After Hoshino Resorts Oirase Keiryu Hotel, our next stop was Hoshino Resorts Aomoriya! Aomoriya is another Hoshino Resort in the Aomori prefecture and there is actually a complimentary shuttle bus from the Oirase Keiryu Hotel. If Oirase Keiryu Hotel is all about the surrounding nature, then Aomoriya is all about the culture of Aomori. The prefecture is renowned for its Nebuta Matsuri - a traditional summer festival held annually with giant paper lanterns depicting mythical figures and gods on parade. Here at Aomoriya, guests can experience the festivities all year round with live performances and Nebuta Matsuri paper floats on display all around the resort!

ACCESS:

Aside from the Oirase Keiryu Hotel, complimentary shuttle services are also provided from Misawa Station, Hachinohe Station, and Misawa Airport.

ROOM:

The resort has many room types available and perhaps the most enthralling one is the Aomori Nebuta Room with artwork inspired by the paper floats of the Nebuta Matsuri adorning the living area and bedroom.

We stayed in the Japanese-style room Azumashi with Semi-Open Bath. Azumashi means comfortable in Aomori dialect, and the room is decorated with traditional local crafts such as the Yawata-Uma (traditional wooden horse toy for good luck) and Nanbu Sakiori (a unique style of weaving using old and worn out clothing). The best part was that we had our own private onsen in the room which was convenient for a quick dip whenever we wanted.

FACILITIES:

Aomoriya is actually a sprawling park with various buildings set around a lake. The main buildings house the guest rooms while others comprise of restaurants, lounges, ranches and more.

Both indoor and outdoor onsens are available at the resort, and my favorite was the outdoor bath situated in a pond with Nebuta Matsuri paper floats on display. It's especially mesmerizing at night when everything is illuminated along with floating paper lanterns in the pond.

Another onsen you can enjoy is the foot bath in the park. There are towels provided onsite so you don't need to take anything with you to enjoy this.

ACTIVITIES:

The resort has many activities to offer - you can stroll around the park or better yet, take a ride on a Horse Carriage equipped with a stove in the winter time to tour around the grounds. While in the park, you can stop at the Ukimido Pavilion to admire the Nebuta Matsuri Paper Float Display and pay a visit to a shrine.

Back at the main building, the resort comes to life in the basement at night in the form of a festival with a game area, scallop fishing, sake tasting, frozen apple treats, yukata rental, souvenir shop, and even more lanterns and paper floats on display!

Don't miss the Aomori Festival Show which showcases Aomori's four major festivals! The atmosphere was lively and fun plus it was also interesting to see the difference between the 4 festivals. The show occurs daily at a set time and it's best to reserve your seat in advance with the front desk.

DINING:

Aomoriya has a few different restaurants including Michinoku Matsuriya (a restaurant with a show), Noresore Shokudo (a buffet restaurant), and Nanbu Magariya (a kaiseki restaurant). We ended up having both dinner and breakfast at Nanbu Magariya which specializes in kaiseki cuisine using 15 types of seafood that have long been prized in Aomori including roes of various fishes, sea cucumber, sea urchin, etc. The restaurant is located in the park and housed in a traditional farmhouse.

Our dinner menu: 

- Assorted “Nanako Hacchin” with sea cucumber, octopus roe, marinated salmon, salmon roe, shirako, yellowtail roe, and ankimo 

- “Ichigoni” Sea Urchin & Abalone Soup is a traditional soup in Hachinohe 

- Sashimi with tuna, surf clam, scallop, ebi 

- Grilled Kinki Fish with salt 

- Grilled Beef and Seasonal Vegetables with red wine and blackcurrant sauce 

- Hot Soba Noodle with grated yam 

- Strawberry & Vanilla Ice Cream with apple compote simmered in red wine

The next morning, we went back to Nanbu Magariya to have breakfast which comprised of scallops cooked in the shell with miso, grilled salmon with spicy miso & apple sauce, and a basket of assorted appetizers to go with rice. Also on the menu were apple soy milk, freshwater clam miso soup, vegetable salad with apple dressing, and Nabekko Dango dessert.

After breakfast, it was time to check out and head to the train station. What a blissful weekend spent at two Hoshino Resorts - be sure to check my review for Oirase Keiryu Hotel if you haven't!

*By Invitation

Hoshino Resorts Aomoriya

56 Furumagiyama, Misawa-shi, Aomori-ken, Japan

Tel: +81-50-3786-1144

https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/aomoriya/

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