[JBaymore]

Schrott,

I've spent a bunch of time in Aomori-ken over the years.

There are tons of onsen up there to explore. Well worth looking into.

Climb Iwaki-san.... known as the Fuji-san of the north.

Hirosaki-shi is a nice historic old castle town. Some of the castle is re-created there. The gardens there are well known for their cherry blossoms.

Aomori-shi tends to be pretty "generic", having been basically destroyed in WWII and more or less "rebuilt" after that.

If you happen to be in Japan on August 1-8th, that is the time of three of the biggest "fire festivals" in Japan. Check out Hirosak-shi and Aomori-shi, for their Nebuta Matsuri (Festivals) and Goshogawara-shi for the Tachi Neputa Matsuri. I've seen all three, and personally I think the Goshogawara-shi one is the best of the three. But all three are an experience not to be missed if you can. Think kinda' like, "Japanese Mardi Gras".

If you are up there in July and have an interest in ceramics, there is an international wood-fire pottery artist-in-residence program happening at Tsugaru Kanayama pottery in Goshogawara-shi for the whole month. Open to the public to view.

I have to run right now, but I'll stop back later to fill in some more stuff.

best,

..............john