Today, many of the best sights to see in Aomori are the natural kind, as much of the man-made history was lost to various 20^th Century misfortunes. Yet no one seems to have told the cherry blossoms, apple orchards and the mountainous backdrop, all of which greet visitors with a timeless serenity. The region’s two national parks and highly aesthetic Lake Towada are similarly still just doing their thing. In the city, in case you miss Aomori’s annual Nebuta Matsuri Festival, the Nebuta Warasse Museum will let you feast your eyes on some of the incredible illuminated floats that graced the streets. And just outside the city at Seiryu-ji Temple, all 70 feet and 220 tons of Showa Daibutsu statue (“the Great Buddha”) keeps a watchful eye over Aomori.