Aomori tide times

Predictions: Open-Meteo Marine (MeteoFrance SMOC, 0.08° grid) — heights relative to MSL (not chart datum / LAT). Model-derived.

Model-derived from a global ocean grid. Useful indication; expect about ±45 minutes on average vs. a local harmonic gauge, individual stations vary widely. See /methodology for per-region detail. Not for navigation.

Conditions as of 13:00 local time. Refreshes daily.

Predictions: Open-Meteo Marine (MeteoFrance SMOC, 0.08° grid) — heights relative to MSL (not chart datum / LAT). Model-derived. · Not for navigation.

The angler tradition for major/minor fishing windows: major ≈3-hour windows around moon transit and opposition; minor ≈2-hour windows around moonrise and moonset. Times are Asia/Tokyo local. Folk tradition, not a scientific forecast.

Next spring tide on Mon 18 May (range 0.8m). Last neap on Sat 16 May. Next neap on Fri 22 May.

Spring tides cluster around new and full moons (biggest swings). Neap tides land on quarter moons (smallest swings). See the spring tide and neap tide glossary entries for the why.

Aomori city sits at the southern end of Mutsu Bay — a deep, nearly enclosed bay in the northernmost part of Honshu, where the Shimokita and Tsugaru peninsulas bracket the water on east and west. The enclosed geometry of Mutsu Bay amplifies tidal range relative to the open coast: mean range is approximately 1.5 to 2.0 metres above MLLW, noticeably larger than the ~1.3 metres typical along the more exposed Tohoku Pacific coast to the south. Spring tides in the bay can push high water to around 2.0 metres above MLLW at Aomori city. The bay is calm, with limited wave action in most conditions, which makes the tidal cycle the dominant influence on coastal margins rather than swell. Aomori ferry terminal is the primary crossing point for vehicles and passengers between Honshu and Hokkaido via Tsugaru Strait, supplementing the Seikan Tunnel rail link. The ferry route to Hakodate (3.5 to 4 hours) passes through the strait where the Pacific and Sea of Japan water masses converge — a transition visible in the sea colour and surface texture on clearer crossings. The bay's protected water keeps ferry operations consistent through most weather conditions that would affect open-coast crossings. Mutsu Bay's sheltered, productive water supports significant scallop (hotate) aquaculture. Aomori Prefecture is the top scallop-producing region in Japan; the flat-bottomed aquaculture boats and rope systems are visible across the bay. The annual scallop harvest contributes substantially to the regional economy and to restaurant menus city-wide. Fresh hotate at the Aomori Gyosai Center (the city's main fish market, near the waterfront) is the most direct access point for visitors. The Nebuta Festival (August 2–7 annually) transforms the city: enormous illuminated float sculptures — nebuta — are paraded through the streets to the sound of taiko drums and haneto dancers. The festival draws 3 to 4 million visitors in one week. The Warasse Nebuta Museum on the waterfront maintains full-scale nebuta through the year for off-season viewing. The city's famous apple connection (Aomori Prefecture produces approximately 60% of Japan's apple crop) is inland and agricultural rather than coastal, but the Auga Market by the station sells them alongside the seafood. The coast itself is bay shore rather than dramatic headland — the peninsula tips (Shimokita to the east, with volcanic Osorezan; Tsugaru to the west) have more dramatic coastal scenery than the city waterfront. Tide predictions on this page come from Open-Meteo Marine, a gridded global ocean model. Accuracy is typically within plus or minus 45 minutes on timing and 0.2 to 0.3 metres on height — model-derived, not from a local pressure gauge. For authoritative Japanese tide tables, consult the Japan Meteorological Agency at jma.go.jp. JMA operates Japan's tsunami warning system; see the FAQ below for the essential distinction between tidal prediction and tsunami warning.