Located just a short sailing distance apart across the Tsugaru Strait, the cities of Aomori and Hakodate are pivotal ports of call for any luxury small-ship operator wanting to offer guests a relaxing and immersive exploration of North Japan. By combining the ports into one itinerary, they can create a seamless journey where guests can enjoy luxury late-evening cultural experiences, unhurried time onshore and exclusive access to regional traditions that are rarely available to those sailing on larger vessels.
In Aomori, for instance, cruise guests can explore regional traditions and get a layered understanding of Japan’s living culture by visiting key festivals. One of the most famous is the Aomori Nebuta Festival, which attracts thousands of visitors who watch as performers carry large illuminated, humanesque floats (known as nebuta in Aomori and neputa elsewhere) through the streets accompanied by Haneto dancers and musicians playing taiko drums, flutes and gongs. The colourful nebuta, which are almost nine metres wide and five metres high, typically depict classic scenes from ancient Japanese literature, folklore and kabuki theatre.
“These illuminated floats represent heroic narratives and spiritual power, all of which are brought to life through energetic movement and rhythmic music,” says Kazumi Fukuhara from the harbour and airport division of Aomori Prefectural Government. “Cruise lines can organise late departures to allow guests to attend night-time performances and experience the festival in its most authentic form.”
Cruise guests can also head to the Hirosaki Neputa Festival, which takes place in the streets around Hirosaki Castle and showcases fan-shaped neputa of varying sizes depicting images of warriors. While in Hirosaki, travellers can also visit Neputa Mura, a museum with exhibitions focused on the festival, local handicrafts and instruments, and more.
“This festival is more introspective and poetic,” says Fukuhara. “Visiting the museum allows guests to engage closely with artisans in a relaxed atmosphere and gain an insight into the craftsmanship and symbolism behind the floats.”
Cruise guests can visit the Neputa Mura museum to learn more about the fan-shaped floats used during the Hirosaki Neputa Festival (pictured)
Kuroishi also hosts its own summer neputa festival, where locals parade both fan-shaped and humanesque lantern floats to the sound of Japanese instruments. The town is also home to IRODORI, a workshop where visitors can turn paintings from neputa used at previous festivals into their own fans and lanterns.
“The workshops offer a deeply local expression of sustainability and creativity,” says Fukuhara. “Recycling the lanterns transforms traditional materials into contemporary art and delivers a relaxing, yet informative, experience that resonates strongly with environmentally conscious, culture-driven luxury travellers.”
Visitors to Goshogawara Tachineputa Festival will see a distinctive type of neputa – 23-metre-high, vertical floats featuring samurai warriors, mythical creatures and other characters. The floats, which weigh around 19 tons each, are manoeuvred through the streets by hand to the sound of traditional music and dancing.
“The towering vertical floats are among the tallest festival structures in Japan and offer a dramatic contrast to other regional styles,” says Fukuhara. “The sheer scale and elegance of these floats create an unforgettable visual experience. While all these festivals are spectacular to see, they also present Aomori as a destination of quiet sophistication – a place where guests can discover tradition and regional pride.”
The 23-metre-high Goshogawara Tachineputa neputa depict mythical creatures and samurai warriors and are carried through the streets by hand
Cruise guests wanting to delve deeper into the history of Northern Japan can explore the Jomon Prehistoric Sites, which were designated as a serial Unesco World Heritage site in 2021. Here, they can learn about the sedentary hunter-fisher-gatherer society which developed from around 13,000 BCE.
“An excursion to these sites offers an exclusive, intellectually enriching encounter with one of the world’s oldest continuous cultures,” says Fukuhara.
The Jomon Prehistoric Sites are a Unesco World Heritage site dating back to 13,000 BCE
Alternatively, cruise guests wanting to explore the natural side of Aomori Prefecture can take a trip to Oirase Gorge and Lake Towada. “The serene landscapes are ideal for private guided walks, photography and mindful immersion in nature,” says Fukuhara.
There are also multiple opportunities to explore Aomori’s culinary heritage and seasonal cuisine, for example through curated small group dining experiences.
Visitors can hike or cycle along Oirase Gorge, which is part of Towada-Hachimantai National Park
Cruise lines can further immerse guests in the gastronomy of Northern Japan by calling at the port of Hakodate. As one of the first of Japan’s port cities to open up to foreign traders in the 1850s, Hakodate has a gastronomic culture influenced by both the East and the West.
“Fresh seafood, Western-influenced cuisine, and contemporary gastronomy offer seamless continuity for guests transitioning between European and Japanese flavors,” says Hayato Ikeda from the promotion section of the port and airport department at the City of Hakodate. “Hokkaido is also internationally recognised for producing cool-climate wines that are increasingly used in Michelin-level cuisine and dining experiences across Japan. Cruise lines can organise private tasting sessions to introduce guests to a modern, refined side of Japanese craftsmanship.
Hakodate’s architecture has also been heavily influenced by traders from China, Russia and various Western countries, most notably in the Motomachi district, which is situated at the foot of Mount Hakodate overlooking Hakodate Bay. The area boasts well-preserved Western-style residences, places of worship and former administrative offices built by international traders. Some of the most noteworthy historic buildings include the Chinese Memorial Hall, the Old British Consulate, the Old Public Hall, the Russian Orthodox Church, Motomachi Roman Catholic Church and Hakodate St. John’s Church. There is also a park and multiple shops, cafes and restaurants.
“The Motomachi district offers a unique blend of European and Japanese aesthetics – it’s immediately familiar, yet intriguingly distinct, for Western guests,” says Ikeda.
The Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward in the Motomachi district was completed in 1910 and combines both Western and Japanese architectural elements
According to Ideka, the short sailing distance between Aomori and Hakodate make them ideally suited for a curated double call. “Cruise lines benefit from flexible arrival and departure times, which allows them to offer longer, more relaxed shore experiences and late-night cultural experiences without sacrificing onboard schedules,” explains Ikeda. “For example, Hakodate has one of the world’s most celebrated nightscapes, so it is best enjoyed during evening calls and night-time shore experiences.”
The city of Hakodate, pictured from Mount Hakodate, is best viewed at night
Incorporating Aomori and Hakodate into the same itinerary also enables luxury cruise lines to offer diverse experiences without having to travel a large distance.
“By visiting both ports, cruise lines can give guests a unique glimpse into the ancient spirituality and living folk art of Japan, as well as the beautiful nature, elegant Western-influenced architecture and modern gastronomy of the region,” says Ikeda. “It’s rare to find this confluence of cultures and variety of experiences so close together anywhere else in Japan. Consequently, sailing this route and calling at both Aomori and Hakodate enables luxury small-ship operators to offer an authentic, intimate and culturally rich Northern Japan experience unlike anything else.”