Apr 27, 2024: Yesterday, after arriving in Aomori and checking into our cozy hotel, we eagerly headed out to Hirosaki. Today, we enthusiastically explored several fascinating attractions in the city. Aomori’s DIY seafood rice bowl (kaisen-don) is a renowned local specialty, and we couldn’t resist trying it. At the bustling Aomori Gyosai Center, we spent 2,000 yen to buy twelve tickets. First, we exchanged one ticket for a steaming bowl of fragrant rice, then wandered through the vibrant market, selecting our favorite seafood to top it off. With around thirty different stalls to choose from, we used the tickets to get fresh slices of fish, succulent shrimp, delectable scallops, and more. The market provided large communal tables and chairs for everyone to enjoy their meals. The quality of the seafood was exceptional, with the sweet, tender Hokkaido shrimp leaving a particularly lasting impression.

After thoroughly enjoying our seafood rice bowl, we visited a larger nearby seafood market and savored a bowl of piping hot Chinese noodles to warm up our stomachs.

The Aomori Nebuta Festival is famously celebrated throughout Japan, attracting millions of domestic and international tourists every August. Since we couldn't attend the festival, we visited the Nebuta Museum to admire the award-winning floats from last year. These vibrant floats, crafted from colorful lanterns, depict scenes from mythology and are exceptionally unique and stunningly beautiful. If we get the chance, it would be wonderful to visit in August to experience the festival firsthand.

Next, we took a bus to the impressive Aomori Museum of Art and the ancient Sannai-Maruyama Jomon Site, the largest Jomon village site in Japan with a rich history of 5,000 years and a prestigious World Heritage site.

Returning to the lively area near the Nebuta Museum, we noticed an exciting event taking place at the museum entrance. Curious, we joined the crowd, where people were eagerly holding sticks over glowing charcoal fires. They were wrapping raw dough around the sticks and roasting it over the fire, turning it constantly to ensure even heating—much like roasting marshmallows during American camping trips. In just a short time, a small bread roll was perfectly baked. While the taste was fairly simple, it had a uniquely enticing aroma that made the experience memorable.

Aomori is Japan’s largest apple-producing region. The charming A-Factory store next to the museum sells various delightful apple varieties and an abundance of local specialties. We took a relaxing break there, enjoyed a cup of freshly brewed coffee, and indulged in a delicious apple pie.

This Japan trip was relatively short, and tomorrow we fly to Shanghai. In the evening, we went to the exquisite Hyakudai Japanese Restaurant to enjoy premium sake and an array of delectable Japanese cuisine, ending our memorable trip to Japan on a high note.

青森

四月二十七日：昨天我们一到青森入住酒店后，便立即出城前往弘前。今天的行程主要是在青森市内的几个著名景点打卡。青森的自助海鲜饭（海鲜丼）是当地的一大特色。在青森鱼菜市场，我们花了两千日元购买了十二张票。首先，用一张票换来一碗热腾腾的米饭，然后端着这碗米饭在市场内选择自己喜爱的海鲜。市场内约有三十几家不同的摊位，使用票可以换取新鲜的鱼片、虾、扇贝等。市场里还设有大桌子和椅子，供顾客使用。海鲜的质量非常好，尤其是北海道的甜虾，甜美粉糯，不负期待。

享用完海鲜饭后，我们又去了附近规模较大的海鲜市场逛了一圈，还吃了一碗热腾腾的中华面，给我们的胃增添了一点热量。

青森的睡魔祭在日本享有盛名，每年八月初举行的祭典吸引着数百万海内外游客。虽然我们这次无法亲临祭典，但还是前往睡魔祭博物馆，欣赏了去年获奖的彩车。彩车由色彩鲜艳的灯笼制作，描绘了神话人物的场景，独特又美丽。希望以后有机会能在八月份亲自体验祭典的热闹气氛。

接着，我们乘坐公交车前往青森艺术馆和三内丸山绳文遗址。三内丸山遗址是世界遗产名录中的一部分，是一个拥有5000年历史的日本最大规模的绳文村落遗址。

我们再次回到睡魔祭博物馆附近，恰巧博物馆门前这几天正在举行活动。看到许多人拿着棍子在炭火上烤东西，我们也凑上前去。原来他们是在棍子上串上生面团，然后放在炭火上烤，边烤边不停地转动，确保面团均匀受热，很像美国野营时烤棉花糖的方式。不一会儿，一个小面包就烤好了，虽然味道一般，但有一种特别的香气。

青森是日本最大的苹果产地，博物馆旁边的A-Factor店里售卖着各种品种的苹果和当地特产。我们在那里稍作休息，喝了一杯咖啡，品尝了一个苹果派。

这次的日本之行时间较短，明天我们就要飞往上海了。晚上，我们前往百代日本料理餐厅享用了一顿美味的晚餐，品尝清酒和和食，为此次日本之旅画上了一个美好的句号。