Brick A-Factory, conveniently located directly opposite the ticket barriers at Hirosaki Station, is a shop showcasing local Hirosaki products. It also features a seating area, offering a comfortable spot to enjoy a snack while waiting for a train.

Brick A-Factory Original Apple Pie (¥450).

This exclusive apple pie, available only at Hirosaki’s Brick A-Factory, is crafted under the supervision of Bonjour, a popular patisserie in Hirosaki situated east of the train station.

The pie featured a buttery, flaky crust with delicately light layers. Generously filled with local red apples (likely Fuji apples), it offered a delightful firm bite, accompanied by a refreshing sweetness (3.5/5) and bright, juicy acidity (4/5). While it lacked cinnamon, the cider-based sticky glaze, made with Yoshino cider from Hirosaki, provided a pleasing and unique finishing touch.

Tamura Farm Kogyoku Apple Pie (¥528)

Produced by Tamura Farm, this pie uses Kogyoku (Jonathan) apples grown in their orchard. The ruby-hued apple slices peeked through the lattice-style pie crust, creating an enticing visual appeal.

The crust was light and buttery, but it lacked crispness, leaving it softer than ideal. The apples had a balanced sweetness (3/5) and tartness (3/5), though their texture was also soft, lacking the desirable firm bite. Combined with the similarly soft honeyed sponge cake layer, the pie missed the mark on textural contrast. Reheating in a toaster oven would likely improve the overall experience by crisping the crust and enhancing the contrast with the soft interior.

Connacht Apple Black Tea (¥230)

The tea was brewed with water that was too hot, resulting in an overly bitter and astringent black tea profile that overshadowed the subtler fruity notes and the apple pieces present in the loose-leaf blend. Despite removing the tea bag after just 2–3 minutes, the bitterness remained prominent. This tea would likely perform better if brewed at home under more controlled conditions.

Brick A-Factory is located at 2F JR Hirosaki Station, 1-1 Omotemachi, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture 036-8096, Japan.