This is the JA Aoren Hirosaki Nebuta Apple Juice, made with 100% juice from Tsugaru apples, an early-ripening variety from Aomori Prefecture. In Japan, apple juices are typically produced using the mippei shibori (“sealed squeezing”) method, where juicing occurs in a sealed environment to prevent oxidation. This preserves the fresh, rich flavour and mellow aroma of the apples, categorising such products as “straight” (ストレート) juices, unlike those made from concentrate.
This complementary can of juice was provided in exchange for completing a survey for foreign tourists at the Hirosaki Tourism Information Center. Also available for purchase, the can design features the nebuta float painting Suikoden by the Shigemori Shinmachi Neputa Club, designed by Miura Nonryu, which won the Governor’s Award in 2018.
The juice had an opaque beige-yellow hue and the rich aroma of fresh apples. Consumed chilled, it offered a refreshing, gentle sweetness with a touch of acidity in the body. However, the rich apple flavour did not carry through to the finish, leaving the juice feeling light and ending abruptly. This flavour profile made the use of Tsugaru apples evident even before consulting the packaging. From repeated exposure in Aomori, Tsugaru apples appear better suited to baking, where their crunchy texture and flavour shine. Despite this, the overall quality of the juice was superior to the overly sweet and acidic apple juices made from concentrate.
This JA Aoren Hirosaki Nebuta Apple Juice contained 195 g. It was produced in Japan and received as a gift from the Hirosaki Tourism Information Center in Hirosaki, Japan in 2024.