The ``Apple Pie Guide Map'' published by the Hirosaki Tourism and Convention Association is currently attracting attention on X (Twitter).

This booklet introduces shops in Hirosaki City that serve apple pies made with apples from Aomori Prefecture. The current 18th edition was published in April 2023, and the number of listed stores is 41. Evaluate items such as sweetness, sourness, and cinnamon in apple pie on a five-point scale.

The one that has been attracting attention is a post by the X account ``Eda'', which introduces the apple pie guide map and says, ``I'm going crazy from eating so much (sic).'' It has received over 16,000 reposts and nearly 50,000 likes, with reactions such as ``I want to go'' and ``It looks delicious.''

This booklet was created in March 2010, mainly by female employees, in response to many questions from tourists about apple pie. According to Noriko Muraoka, the association's representative, the booklet has now become a standard guide map, and is often introduced in media such as television and magazines. Muraoka says, ``It's often talked about on social media, but even when the association sends out a guide map, it doesn't get that much attention.''

For the past 14 years, the Hirosaki Tourism and Convention Association has been publishing Hirosaki apple pie recipes and selling original products such as clear files and log notebooks. In addition, local taxi companies started a service to guide them to apple pie shops, and as a sister version, they created a guide map for tarte tatin.

Currently, Taisho Roman Cafe (Kamishiroganecho, Hirosaki City) sells ``Apple Pie Cream Soda'' (770 yen), and ``Ringo no Ie Snack Cafe Corner'' in Hirosaki City Apple Park (Shimizu Tomita Terasawa) sells ``Apple Pie Cream Soda'' (770 yen). On Saturdays and Sundays only, they offer a set (770 yen) where you can try and compare Hirosaki apple pies. The sale ends on February 29th.

Mr. Muraoka, who is currently gathering information for the creation of the 19th edition of the booklet, said, ``I'm glad that it's still being talked about.''The cover has an impact as it features a lot of apple pies, which is typical of the city of apples. "You'll want to take my hand. I hope you'll come to Hirosaki for the apple pie," he says with a smile.