Aomori】Hirosaki's 5 recommended cafes and coffee shops
Hirosaki and Aomori cities are home to many unique and stylish cafes and coffee shops located in historic buildings. Here are five recommended cafes, including a long-established store that has been loved by locals for many years, a specialty coffee shop, and a mom-friendly café for those with small children.
1Meikyoku & Coffee Sunflower
A famous restaurant in Hirosaki that has been loved for 60 years.
This coffee shop was established in 1959. The interior of the store is delicately decorated with windows, lamps, staircase railings, etc., and each nostalgic interior shows off a good sense of style.
The signature item here is the meat pie. It takes about 15 minutes to order a meat pie because each one is handmade in the store. The combination of the pastry crust, which crumbles gently, and the filling, which is filled with the flavor of meat, is exquisite and has been loved for more than 25 years since its launch.
For sweets, freshly baked apple pie, tofu cheesecake, and sweet treats made with handmade agar and shiratama (white rice balls) are also popular.
Local Guide
Supporters
The meat pie set is just the right amount when you are a little hungry. The ground meat and onions inside are slightly sweet and addictive.
Artistic café where you can enjoy classics and paintings
Since its founding, the shop has always played classical music, so many guests/customers visit specifically to enjoy the music; in fact, I’ve heard that there used to be seats equipped with headphones on the second floor.
Additionally, since the shop is a member of the “Gallery Network”—which connects art exhibition spots throughout Hirosaki City—many paintings are displayed inside. There are also shelves lined with tableware and antiques collected by the owner, creating a charming retro atmosphere that preserves the feel of the Showa 30s almost exactly as it was.
- Masterpieces & Coffee Sunflower
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2 Sakamoto-cho, Hirosaki-shi, Aomori MAP
Take Dote-machi Circulation Bus from Hirosaki Bus Terminal, get off at Nakadote-machi Bus Stop, and walk 2 minutes.
10:30-18:30
Wednesdays and Thursdays
0172-35-4051
None
2Kotori Café
Handmade Rice-Flour Pastries to Enjoy in a Historic Building
A charming café located inside the “Hyakusekichō Exhibition Hall,” which is housed in a Meiji-era building. As the name suggests , the interior is decorated with many bird-shaped ornaments. The most popular items are the rice-flour baked goods, handmade fresh daily at the shop.A variety of rice-flour baked goods—including muffins, scones, chocolate brownies, and cookies—line the shelves. The great-value cake set, which combines a handmade cake with a drink, is also very popular. While there are usually two to three types of cakes and muffins available, the selection changes depending on the season and day, so you can discover new flavors every time you visit.
A cozy and relaxing hideaway
The “Hyakuseki-cho Exhibition Hall” is a traditional earthen-walled storehouse built in 1880 (Meiji 13). Originally a kimono shop and later used as a bank, the space that now houses the café was once used as a warehouse and archive.The rustic interior blends perfectly with the structural features unique to historic buildings—such as the exposed ceiling beams and lattice-patterned wooden walls—creating a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. At lunchtime, you can enjoy a monthly rotating lunch plate or the classic Napolitan pasta. For dessert, we recommend the matcha and hojicha ice cream parfait, generously topped with ice cream. Our homemade ginger ale is also a popular choice.
Local Guide
Supporters
The cozy interior, bathed in soft lighting, has a welcoming atmosphere that makes it easy to visit even alone. They also sell cute little bird-shaped cookies!
- Kotori Cafe
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- 3-2 Momoishi-cho, Hirosaki-shi, Aomori-ken MAP
- Take Dote-machi Loop Bus from Hirosaki Bus Terminal, get off at Shimo-dote-machi Bus Stop, and walk shortly.
- Weekdays 11:00 AM–4:00 PM (last order 3:00 PM), Saturdays and Sundays 11:00 AM–5:00 PM (last order 4:00 PM)
- Monday
- 0172-88-8504
- Please contact the store
3Kodai Cafe Narita Senzo Coffee Shop
On-campus café loved by students and residents alike
A Western-style building on Hirosaki University’s Bunkyo Campus reopened as a café in 2016. Since then, it has served as a relaxing spot not only for students but also for tourists and local residents. Operated by the specialty coffee shop “Hirosaki Coffee School,” it has earned a reputation as a place where visitors can enjoy authentic coffee.
Its signature item is the original blend of mild coffee. Student discounts are available on the entire menu for Hirosaki University students—a gesture born from the desire to “encourage as many students as possible to become coffee lovers.”
Relax in a beautiful Western-style building with a triangular roof
The charming Western-style building was constructed in 1925 (Taisho 14) and was once used as housing for foreign language teachers. There are a total of four private rooms on the first and second floors; each offers a unique atmosphere, such as a room with a fireplace or one with a view of a large cherry tree through the window.
In addition, apple pies made with “Beni no Yume” and “Bikou”—red-fleshed apple varieties cultivated and developed at Hirosaki University’s Fujisaki Farm—are available for a limited time.
Local Guide
Supporters
The cafe looks like something out of a picture book. Various events are also held, including music and reading sessions.
- Kodai Cafe Narita Senzo Coffee Shop
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- 1 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki-shi, Aomori-ken (in Foreign Teachers Hall, Hirosaki University Bunkyo Campus) MAP
- Take the "Oguriyama-Wolfmori Line" or "Gakuencho Line" bus from Hirosaki Station or Hirosaki Bus Terminal, get off at Hirosaki Daigaku-mae bus stop, and walk shortly.
- 10:00-18:00
- Closed Sundays and Mondays (Open on Mondays if they fall on a national holiday)
- 0172-55-5797
- Free of charge
4Bankamu
An old-fashioned coffee shop frequented by coffee lovers
This coffee shop has been located near Aomori City Hall for over 50 years. Each cup of coffee is carefully brewed using nerd drip, and is a blend of Mandarin, Colombian, Guatemalan, and Kilimanjaro, with a deep yet refreshing taste.
A wide selection of hot sandwiches and toasts are available, and lunchtime specials include a drink, salad, and yogurt jelly. The most popular is the Mexican sandwich. It is a hot sandwich with corned beef, onions, green peppers, salsa sauce, and cheese. The crispy bread, juicy filling, and spicy Tabasco make it an appetizing dish.
Local Guide
Supporters
After the hot sandwiches are cut up, the bread ears are served with jam, which is also a nice touch.
A place that makes you feel nostalgic even if you are visiting for the first time
Upon entering the restaurant, the first thing that catches the eye is the long counter. Soft light pours in through the window, creating a comfortable space. The simple chairs with cute leather seats, the glass door with the store name "Sato Coffee Shop" from the time of its establishment, and the retro sundries on the shelves all suggest the store's long history.
The owner of the store has kept the old style of the store as there are many regular customers, but this year, the store became a non-smoking shop because the owner wants customers to enjoy good coffee and food in the delicious air. The store has been reborn as a place where non-smokers can also spend a leisurely time.
- Aomori's largest and most famous restaurant
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- 1-26-1 Chuo, Aomori-shi, Aomori MAP
- From Aomori Station, take a local bus bound for Prefectural Central Hospital, get off at Shiyakusho-mae, and walk 2 minutes.
- Mon–Fri 7:00 AM–5:30 PM (last order 5:00 PM), Sat 7:30 AM–2:00 PM (last order 1:30 PM)
- Sunday, Holidays
- 0172-722-3809
- None
5Café des Gitanes Furukawa
A coffee specialty store that focuses on the beans to the last detail
As soon as you open the door, the aroma of coffee envelops you. It is a cozy store, more like a coffee stand than a café, but you can enjoy home-roasted coffee and baked goods.
We recommend the original "Aomori Blend. It is a blend of four types of coffee: deep roasted Malawi, Mandarin, Peruvian, and Brazilian, and expresses the nature of Aomori and its four seasons. It is soft and easy to swallow, with an excellent balance of bitterness and sweetness. Many people take the beans as souvenirs. Also popular is the "Gitane Blend," a blend of four types of medium- to deep-roasted beans.
Superb coffee brewed with carefully selected beans
The store sells a variety of home-roasted coffee beans. Before and after roasting, the beans are thoroughly removed by hand to remove any defects. Since only carefully selected beans are available in the store, the store receives orders from coffee drinkers not only locally but also from all over the country.
It is fun to expand your knowledge by telling them your preferences for acidity, bitterness, etc., and having them tell you which beans they recommend, or by trying the coffee you are interested in. People who come to buy beans often sit at the counter and enjoy a cup of coffee and a chat with the store staff, showing the love of coffee among the people of Aomori.
Local Guide
Supporters
The store is filled with the wonderful aroma of coffee, which makes me feel very happy. The drip packs, which can also be purchased in the store, are popular for their cute packaging! and popular.
- Café des Gitanes Ekimae Main Store
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- 1-1-5 Furukawa, Aomori-shi, Aomori MAP
3 min. walk from Aomori Station- 10:00-18:00
- Monday
- 017-723-0175
- None
MAP
- Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
Local Guide who was in charge of this article
- Miyuki Saito Tsugaru Fashionable Girls
Hoshino Resorts KAI Tsugaru
Owani Onsen, Aomori Prefecture
Hot spring ryokan to enjoy the culture of Tsugaru and its four seasons. You can also enjoy the water garden of Tsugaru's four seasons, which changes its expression with each season.
Access by bus 5 min. by shuttle bus from JR Owani Onsen Station
- Example of Accommodation Rates
- 1 person per night From ¥19,000