Aoimori Wando

A shop in Aomori, Japan’s top apple-producing region, with the concept of “making apples more fun and delicious.”

Apples are said to help prevent high blood pressure, aid fatigue recovery, support digestion, and slow aging, and they’re so nutritious there’s even a saying: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But eating one every day isn’t always easy. That’s when the owner had an idea: “eat it as a side dish with rice.” After plenty of trial and error, the “Ringode Shokutaku” series was born—Aomori’s first apple-based seasonings packed with plenty of Aomori-grown apple pulp. The lineup includes miso, butter, soy sauce, mayonnaise, ketchup, and apple salt. Recommended for anyone who wants a highly original souvenir.

They also sell familiar foods like apple juice and apple jam, goods featuring Aomori’s traditional embroidery, “Tsugaru Kogin-zashi,” which creates patterns with stitched thread seams, and organic cosmetics based on Aomori Prefecture natural spring water.