Aomori Prefectural Center for Industry and Tourism, ASPAM

The Aomori Prefectural Center for Industry and Tourism, ASPAM was completed in 1986 as the first project in the redevelopment of the waterfront district.
The building has 15 floors above ground and stands 76 meters tall. Its distinctive equilateral-triangle shape has made it a familiar landmark of Aomori City.
The name was chosen through a public contest. It combines four initials: “A” for Aomori, “S” for Sightseeing, “P” for Products, and “M” for Mansion.
ASPAM is a multi-purpose facility, with many shops on the first floor selling local specialties. These include Aomori apple juice, delicacies from land and sea such as processed garlic and scallop products, as well as a wide range of traditional crafts including Kogin embroidery, Nanbu sakiori, and Tsugaru lacquerware.
On the second floor, the “360° Digital Video Theater” allows visitors to experience the beauty of Aomori’s four seasons and its summer festivals through a powerful 360-degree screen.
From the observation deck on the 13th floor, 51 meters above ground, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of Aomori City, the Hakkoda mountain range, and Mutsu Bay.
The center also offers a variety of dining options unique to Aomori, including “Michinoku Cuisine Nishi-mura,” where visitors can enjoy local cuisine; “Sweets Factory pampam,” an apple pie specialty shop that bakes its pies in-store every day; and “Tachinomi Jizake ASPAM,” where visitors can enjoy local sake.