84th Meijin-sen, the Pinnacle of Shogi, Held at Hotel Aomori for the First Time in 47 Years

■ A Historic Stage for the "Meijin-sen" - The First in 47 Years in Aomori City

In April 2026, the 84th Meijin-sen, the title match that decides the pinnacle of the Shogi world, was held in Aomori City for the first time since 1979—a span of 47 years. Hotel Aomori, located near Aomori Station, was chosen as the historic stage for these matches.

■ Traditional Taste Selected as the "Winning Snack"

Selected as the "shobu-oyatsu" (winning snack) enjoyed by both players on the afternoon of the first day was the "Classic Cheesecake," a signature dessert Hotel Aomori has been crafting with an unchanged recipe for 60 years since its founding.

This souffle-style cheesecake is baked smoothly using an abundance of milk and eggs from Aomori Prefecture, topped with aromatic apricot jam. It is a great pride for us that this flavor, which has been cherished by local customers for many years, was chosen as a "dish to support the outcome" in the highest level of brain battles in Japan.

[As a City Hotel Walking Alongside Aomori City]

Hotel Aomori, located in the heart of Aomori City, has walked hand-in-hand with the city's development for many years. 2025 marks the 400th anniversary of the opening of Aomori Port, and 2026 marks the 400th anniversary of Aomori's urban development. In 1625, Tsugaru Nobuhira, the second lord of the Hirosaki Domain, obtained permission for shipping, which became the "opportunity for opening the port." In 1626, he ordered Moriyama Yashichiro to develop the city under the name "Aomori," marking the beginning of the port town's development. Our hotel will continue to convey the charms of Aomori, cultivated over these 400 years of history, to guests from both within and outside Japan.