In houses in snowy regions, windbreak rooms are often found. This glass enclosure around the front door serves as an extra layer of protection, preventing the front door from freezing in the winter cold and stopping build-up of snow interfering with the door’s opening or closing. But did you know that the Tsugaru region of Aomori has an "apple culture" that has evolved from these windbreak rooms?
Introducing the apple culture of Aomori, and its beautiful apples!
Aomori boasts the largest apple production and cultivation area in all Japan! Even overseas, the quality of Aomori apples has won wide acclaim. In the Tsugaru region, in the western part of Aomori Prefecture, "apple culture" is especially evident in day-to-day life.
Let’s take a look at traditional apple culture, some great photogenic apple spots that are the talk of the town recently, the daily life of Aomori residents, who love their apples, the reason why these cute (or megoi in the Tsugaru dialect) Aomori apples are so beloved... and much more!
Who in the world sent this? An apple box by the front door is not unusual!
After the harvest season, when apple farmers have worked from morning till night without a break to pick and select apples, you will often see crates of apples placed in windbreak rooms.
First snowfall in Aomori is usually around November. If the apple harvesting process is delayed and the apples are covered with snow, they cannot be touched until the snow melts. This is because apples chilled by the snow can be shocked by the temperature of human skin and can suffer heat damage.
That is how delicate apples are. But even a little bruised, they still taste delicious!
In the Tsugaru area, when delicious ripe apples packed with sweetness cannot be shipped to market, they are shared among the neighbors.
Apple boxes are so cute!
Did you know that there are special cardboard boxes for giving apples as gifts? Single-tiered packaging, double-tiered packaging, and more—the box design varies depending on the number of apples given.
These retro cardboard boxes come in so many designs. Some are readily available at local home centers, so be sure to check them out when touring the Tsugaru area!
What is the apple farmer's best friend, commonly known as the bage?
The bage supports apple farmers!
The working trucks that apple farmers drive in the fields, commonly known as bage, are also part of the local apple culture.
In appearance alone, the bage makes a strong visual impact. But actually, these vehicles are very useful for apple farmers to get their work done.
Moving smoothly through orchards is difficult in a regular light truck, as the truck can get snagged on apple trees or cause fruit to drop. For this reason, these light trucks have their top halves removed, enabling them to pass under low-hanging apple branches. Due to ease of mobility in large apple orchards, bage trucks are mainly used by apple farmers in the Tsugaru region.
Some styles of bage trucks leave the doors on, while others have all doors removed, demonstrating the farmer’s personality. This slightly unusual aspect of apple culture will make you chuckle!
Cute apples are part of daily life in Aomori
Apples are a familiar sight to people living in Aomori. If you drive a little further, you will find apple orchards all around. People living in the Tsugaru region, in particular, often both receive and give apples. Apples are simply a part of everyday life here.
Maybe they’re too full of love for apples? Apples aren't just for eating here. You’ll see adorable apples all over town—here, there, and everywhere!
They even decorate postboxes with apples ...
They truly love apples here in Japan’s largest production and growing zone for apples—perhaps they have grown too fond of apples—but Hirosaki City in Aomori even has apple-themed postboxes. And not just one, either. Aomori is brimming with love for apples.
You can really sense the weight of the apple—it looks just as heavy as the postbox. These apple postboxes have a unique presence at Hirosaki Station, in the city’s Apple Park, and even near Hirosaki City Hall.
They are certainly unusual. You’ll often see tourists taking pictures of them.
Locals also use them as a meeting spot. When people contact their friends to say, "Let's meet up at Hirosaki Station!," they often receive the reply, "I’m here at the apple postbox!"
Apple postboxes are loved by tourists and locals alike, and you should definitely look for them when you visit Hirosaki.
What a lucky find! Super cute curved mirrors
And Aomori's love affair with apples continues. When about to turn at an intersection, you may see curved apple mirrors. These mirrors are surrounded by apple designs. They’re adorned with apple stems and leaves too, which makes them even cuter. Take a picture of yourself reflected in a curved apple mirror—it’s very photogenic!
Curved apple mirrors at an intersection near Apple Park in Hirosaki City. Hirosaki is truly a city of apples. You can find apple motifs everywhere! Spotting apples everywhere, as a matter of course, is quite standard in Hirosaki.
They may be hard to spot when heading to the Apple Park, but when leaving, the curved mirrors will be in front of you, so they should be easy to spot.
How many heart-shaped apples can you see?! A great spot for photos!
Located about 30 minutes by car or 15 minutes by train from Hirosaki City, with its cute apple mirrors and apple postboxes, is the Namioka district of Aomori City. One spot in the square in front of JR Namioka Station is too cute to miss! The Apple Heart, a monument with an apple motif, is situated here.
Namioka Station underwent renovation when the Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train was opened up to Shin-Aomori Station. As soon as you exit the station, you can see the Apple Heart right up close. You’ll be amazed at how big it is! Akio Ishizawa, who created the Apple Heart, says, "I tried to express our feelings, our community ties, our courage, and our vitality in the form of apples and hearts."
It's also a great photo spot! It’s especially recommended when the sky is clear and blue. The red of the Apple Heart is very beautiful against the blue of the sky. When a couple takes a photo together, it’s said their happiness will last forever! Discover the Apple Heart, which brings happiness.
Now do you know how much Aomori residents love apples, living in towns where apples are so abundant in daily life?
It is customary to both receive and give apples; apple motifs are everywhere around town; and day-to-day life is filled with more apples than you can imagine. When you visit the Tsugaru area, enjoy touring around the town and asking yourself "How many apples can I spot?"
