The name is generally considered to refer to a small forest on a hill which existed near the town.

After the start of the Edo period, what would become the core of present-day Aomori was a minor port settlement in the Hirosaki Domain called Utō (善知鳥村, Utō-mura).

Some evidence even claims that Aomori and Utō co-existed in different parts of the city in its current state.

[citation needed] The Hokkaidō Colonization Office began operations of a ferry service from Aomori to Hakodate in Hokkaido from 1872.

In September 1891, Aomori was connected with Tokyo by rail with the opening of the Tōhoku Main Line.

The Ōu Main Line running along the Sea of Japan coast opened in December 1894.

The development of modern Aomori was primarily due to its prefectural capital status and the singular importance as the terminus of these rail lines and the Seikan Ferry, which officially opened in 1908.

Towards the final stages of World War II, on the night of 28–29 July 1945, Aomori was subject to an air raid as part of the strategic bombing campaign waged by the United States against military and civilian targets and population centers during the Japan home islands campaign.

[citation needed] In the post-war period, Aomori was rebuilt as the local political and commercial center.

[7] On 1 October 2002, Aomori was proclaimed a core city, granting it an increased level of local autonomy.

Parts of the city in the southeast are within the borders of Towada-Hachimantai National Park and is a tourist destination throughout the four seasons.

In contrast, Sapporo's heaviest snowfall which occurred in 1939 was 164 cm (65 in), and Wakkanai which is located further north has recorded similar maxima.

The particularly heavy snow is caused by several winds that collide around the city and make the air rise and cool, resulting in quick, thick cloud formation followed by intense precipitation.

Additionally, thick fogs from the Oyashio Current are often observed in mountainous areas in the summer.

[16] Per Japanese census data,[17] the population of Aomori has remained relatively steady over the past 40 years.

Aomori has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 35 members.

[21] Aomori Nebuta Matsuri is a famous festival performed from 2–7 August annually and is listed as one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment.