While looking for the coffee shop we found on Google Maps, we came across this factory-like building. The coffee is located inside it. They say it's a mall but does it look like one? I honestly wanted to skip this building from the places we're going for this day but since the coffee shop is inside, there's no choice but to also look inside.
From its name, I honestly thought it's an outlet mall but lots of clothes for sale. I mean, it looks like a factory for clothes. I don't know where I got the clothes idea. π
February 1 and it was still snowy on this side of Japan. The mall had to close other entrance doors so people wouldn't get hurt from the falling snow piled on the roofs. And they were only a few people in town. I wonder how business is on other days?
A-Factory is not what I thought it was. It's actually a souvenir center. On the other side though there was a small foodcourt and chairs for dining customers but 70% of the first floor is for selling Aomori souvenirs. On the 2nd floor were more chairs and an event space.
Aomori is famous for its apples so it's no brainer to see a lot of apple goods here. The only thing missing was the apple itself!
The most famous and probably lots of stocks on display is the Aomori Apple Cider. They have it in 3 flavors: dry, standard and sweet. They even have a place to brew it here which one can see through the glass window. During the time my friends and I were there, we were not able to witness them making it. Probably bad timing.
Aside from the cider, there are also a bunch of beverages, of course made from apples.
The apple juice comes in different bottles and in different brands. I think all of them are made from 100% apples. They have different sweetness levels. The ready-to-drink I found was this handy apple juice bottle from Hirosatosya.
It's not just beverages sold here but also food.
This chocolate cake has Aomori's apples in it. I was really about to buy this one because I got so curious of how it taste like but I stopped myself. π
And who would not forget the jams?
There was even an apple-shaped oil lamp for sale here.
Different flavors of easy-to-prepare soups are also found here. There's corn potage, carrot potage and surpisingly there's an apple soup too.
There are different kinds of snacks too aside from apples. The famous snack, the Japanese rice cracker or senbei, are also found here. There are different flavors like senbei peanut and senbei sesame, you wouldn't normally see in grocery stores in Japan. It's my first time knowing about Ninniku Senbei (garlic senbei) and this English Toast Senbei.
Lots of kitchen goods here! Even when I lived in Japan for 5 years now, I still don't know some uses of these things.
I was quite surprised there's an apple soy sauce in this shelf.
And who would ever forget noodles? Don't worry, not apple flavored.
Let's move on to the dry goods.
There were cloths, hair accessories, stationary and a lot more! They're designed is so unique which made wonder these are probably from a tribe here.
This is what caught my attention. If only I'm collecting these kinds of glass globes (I don't know what to call them, do you know? Please let me know), I would have already got one for myself.
There are these white products, traveling goods perhaps?
And lastly, t-shirts! The design is too simple so nope, not for now.
According to Aomori Tourism, this place is duty-free. Unfortunately, nothing appeal to us so we didn't purchase anything. Besides we were still going to go to another place so it would be troublesome to bring something while walking around.
That's A-Factory in Aomori! Hope you'll visit it when you come to Aomori.
This post is an entry to #MarketFriday by . Make sure to check out the community!
Thanks for reading!
See you around! γγγγγΎγγοΌ
All photos are taken using my phone unless stated otherwise.