| Aomori metropolitan area | |
| Native Name: | 青森都市圏 |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Settlement Type: | Metropolitan area |
| Pushpin Map: | Japan |
| Pushpin Label Position: | none |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Japan |
| Coordinates: | 40.8167°N 183°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Japan---- |
| Subdivision Type1: | Cities |
| Subdivision Name1: | Aomori |
| Subdivision Type2: | Towns and villages |
| Subdivision Name2: | Hiranai, Imabetsu, Sotogahama, Yomogita |
| Area Metro Km2: | 1,477.37 |
| Population Total: | 310,640 |
| Population As Of: | Population Census of Japan 2010 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
The, also known as the [2] is a metropolitan region in the Japanese prefecture of Aomori that includes the city of Aomori and its surrounding satellites, Hiranai, Imabetsu, Sotogahama, and Yomogita. The metropolitan area is defined as the Aomori Urban Employment Area by the Statistics Bureau of Japan (SBJ) and the Center for Spatial Information Service of the University of Tokyo.[3]
As of 2015, Greater Aomori had a population of 310,640. Due to the area's aging population, its population is expected to fall by 74,265 at least to 236,375 people by 2045, though more harsh estimates project a population of 192,673 by 2045.[4]
Greater Aomori has a network of railway lines. Main rail terminals in the area include, Aomori Station, Shin-Aomori Station, and Okutsugaru-Imabetsu Station.
See main article: Shin-Aomori Station, Tōhoku Shinkansen and Hokkaido Shinkansen.
See also: East Japan Railway Company and Hokkaido Railway Company.
JR East and JR Hokkaido operate high-speed trains on the Tōhoku-Hokkaido Shinkansen line. Shin-Aomori Station acts as the Shinkansen terminal station, though the two lines are physically joined, and many trains offer through service. This station is connected to Aomori Station in central Aomori by the Ōu Main Line. The smaller high-speed station, Okutsugaru-Imabetsu Station is also within Greater Aomori.[5] [6]
See also: Aoimori Railway Line, Ōu Main Line and Tsugaru Line.
Both JR East and private lines connect Aomori and its suburbs. The Aoimori Railway Line is operated by the Aoimori Railway Company, a "third-sector" publicly and privately owned company. It connects Aomori Station and central Aomori to Hiranai in Greater Aomori and continues towards Noheji, Misawa, and Hachinohe.[7] The Tsugaru and Ōu lines operated by JR East have termini at Aomori Station. The Ōu Main Line connects Aomori to Hirosaki and points to the south, while the Tsugaru Line connects Aomori Station and Minmaya Station in the town of Sotogahama on the northern tip of the Tsugaru Peninsula.[8]