Japan 2011-Aomori redux

My first impressions of Aomori were not great. Part of that is due to being somewhat disoriented and not exactly sure of where I was going. The first half of the group left Hakodate as scheduled but we disbanded once we dropped off our luggage at the hotel. I proceeded to what I thought was north but turned out to be east or something. I was looking for a particular building called ASPAM, more on that later. I came across a covered street with shops. The overhangs help to keep the snow off the walkways which make them less slippery and safer. I noticed that there were alot of bridal shops in the area. Is Aomori a place that people get wedded at? As I kept walking, I would look up and down branching streets for ASASPAM

I finally espied my destination and followed my nose straight to the pyramid looking building. ASPAM is a place where you can read up on information about Aomori and the area. they also have a gift shop that proudly displays the products this region is known for, especailly apples. I was totally unimpressed with the building and what it had to offer me. the gift shop was fairly extensive but there was nothing special that I could not find in any other gift shop around town

Nearby there is a suspension bridge that is lit up with color changing lights at night. The towers are lit but the cables themselves are left untreated. the desing of the bridge is very similar to the new Bay Bridge being built that links Oakland to Trasure Island. It also calls for a single towers which will suspend the roadway on either side of it.

Soon, hunger was getting the better of me and I went in search of fooooooood. Lacking in japanese, there were very few places that I could recognize that would accommodate me. I walked up and down the streets and noticed the streets were lined with these metal figures. I dont know what they are but I do recognize them. Several years ago, Capcom came out with a Street Fighter game called Darkstalkers, starring monsters and creatures. There were vampires, wereworlve, halfhuman-halfcat creatures, zombies, etc. One of the playable characters resembled the image shown below. Later I was to find that the chain restaurants were clustered closer to the station than where I was walking

The name of this structure escapes me, A (somethjing). Its across from the Nebuta Museum, near the JR station and under one of the pillars of the Aomori Bay Bridge. Inside there is a small food court that sells sandwiches and baked goods. They also have an area where you can sample the local ciders and juices. One area has regular ciders and juices while the other side has them with a slight bit of alcohol due to fermentation. They also have floorspace dedicated to selling gifts and souvenirs of local products from jams and jellies to wines and beverages. Its much closer to the train station but does not have an observation deck like the ASPAM does