Aomori Prefecture, in northern Japan, is famous within the country for being home to top-class Aomori apples. With the cool climate ideally suited for cultivating them, apple varieties such as the Fuji Apple and Tsugaru Apple were bred and perfected there. With some Aomori apple varieties coming on sale as early as August, Aomori's peak apple season is from October to November.
During this period, you can even visit apple farms directly, for a pick of only the freshest apples. This time, we'll be introducing some notable apple delicacies and gourmet foods from Hirosaki City and Aomori City, both of which are famous as centers of apple cultivation.
Aomori: The famed producer of apples
Every year, over 700,000 tons of apples are produced in Japan. Aomori Prefecture, situated in the northernmost point of the Tohoku region, accounts for over 50% of those apples, according to a 2017 survey by the Aomori Prefectural Government’s Apple Agricultural Division, and is a major apple cultivating region.
Even within Aomori prefecture, there are places famous for their extremely high apple produce, such as Hirosaki City, located in the Tsugaru area in the northwestern part of Aomori.
In the surrounding region, restaurants and eateries regularly offer dishes featuring apples, from desserts such as apple pie and tarte Tatin, to even galettes, soups, and other gourmet dishes.
1. Vienna Café Konditorei Strauss (Aomori City)
Located 6 minutes away from Aomori Station on foot, Vienna Café Konditorei Strauss is situated at the corner of a side street lined with night shops. The restaurant serves authentic traditional desserts and snacks from Vienna.
The previous owner of the shop spent seven years in Austria learning the art of pastry making and was even awarded the qualifications as a meister of dessert making by the Austrian government. The recipes created by them are still used in the shop today.
“Apfelstrudel”, one of Vienna’s most famous pastries, are sold at Strauss and are made using apples from Aomori, raisins, and walnuts. The ingredients are wrapped well in the thinly stretched dough, then baked.
The pastry and Aomori apples give this dessert a moist texture, and despite the strong taste of the apples, their sweet and sour flavor complements well with the spicy cinnamon for a fragrant accent. Fresh cream can be added as a topping as well.
Strauss has a branch in Aomori Junmi Kan, a food court inside Shin-Aomori Station, and you can buy takeout versions of their apfelstrudel. If you are wondering what to buy in Aomori, this is…
