Timetable · Annual Schedule
青森県 · Calendar 2026
Seasonal windows and dated events, month by month. Entry pages are in Traditional Chinese; event names appear in their original Japanese.
January
7 itemsJanuary is Aomori's deep-winter core: the Hakkoda snow monsters, skiing at Hakkoda and Owani Onsen, and the Tsugaru Railway stove train. Jappa-jiru and Oma tuna are both in season. Leave slack in transfers, since snow disrupts roads and timetables.
February
7 itemsFebruary gives you a reason beyond snow itself: the Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival, on top of the Hakkoda snow monsters, both ski areas, the stove train and jappa-jiru. The scenery is superb; the logistics never are.
March
5 itemsMarch sits between seasons: Hakkoda and Owani Onsen skiing and the stove train still run, and the Tatehana Wharf morning market restarts. No major festival means low crowds and cheap rooms, but it is late for the snow monsters and early for blossom.
April
9 itemsApril centres on the Hirosaki cherry blossom festival at Hirosaki Castle, and spring rooms sell out early. Lake Towada cruises, lakeside inns and the Mizuumi-go bus resume, Iwaki-san and Yagen Onsen open, and Hakkoda still has snow.
May
13 itemsMay is when Aomori opens up: Osorezan, Hotokegaura, the Shirakami gateway at ANMON, Iwaki-san and Lake Towada all come into season, with the Hirosaki blossom festival running into the first days. Plan travel days around Golden Week congestion.
June
12 itemsJune is the quiet gap before festival season: Hotokegaura, Osorezan, Lake Towada and the ANMON Shirakami gateway are all open with little crowding and easy lodging. Hachinohe squid comes into season, and the Tachineputa workshop is open.
July
13 itemsJuly brings the Inakadate rice paddy art and Osorezan's annual festival period, with the Tachineputa workshop in its final open stretch. Hotokegaura, Lake Towada and ANMON are all running. Lodging tightens late in the month.
August
16 itemsAugust is the year's tightest month: Aomori Nebuta and Goshogawara Tachineputa overlap, so transport and rooms need booking far ahead. Dake-kimi corn, rice paddy art, Hirosaki Apple Park and Hachinohe squid all land here too. Skipping August is a defensible choice.
September
17 itemsSeptember trades crowds for produce: Aomori apples and Tsuruta Steuben grapes begin, dake-kimi corn finishes, Oma tuna comes into season, and rice paddy art and Hotokegaura stay open. Typhoon season is the main scheduling risk to plan around.
October
17 itemsOctober is the autumn-colour month: the Gono Line coast and Hirosaki Park turn in sequence, with apple picking at Hirosaki Apple Park. Osorezan, Hotokegaura and Iwaki-san close at month's end, so schedule those first and leave the foliage for later.
November
12 itemsNovember shuts down in stages: Lake Towada cruises, the lakeside inns and the Mizuumi-go bus all finish this month, and Hirosaki Park's colour fades. The bus stops before the boats do, so go early. Apples, Steuben grapes, Oma tuna and squid still eat well.
December
9 itemsDecember restarts winter: Hakkoda and Owani Onsen open, the Tsugaru Railway stove train begins running, and jappa-jiru returns alongside Oma tuna and Hachinohe squid. Snow is still building, so confirm each facility's operating status before you go.