Hirosaki Castle

Hirosaki Park in Aomori is acclaimed as one of the best cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan, with 52 varieties and about 2,600 cherry trees in the park, allowing visitors to enjoy the spectacular view of the cherry blossoms in full bloom as well as the magnificent Hirosaki Castle! A whole row of cherry trees bloom along the moat, with the water surface covered with pink petals, making it a top spot for photos. Halfway through, you can also see rows of cherry trees forming a circle that turns into a heart shape, which is super beautiful. If you have friends going to Japan, they absolutely should not miss this!

Sakura blossoms in Hirosaki Castle are a sight to behold! 🌸 The delicate pink petals create a stunning contrast against the ancient castle walls, painting a picture of beauty and tranquility. Visitors from near and far gather to witness this breathtaking spectacle, capturing the essence of spring in all its glory. The soft fragrance of cherry blossoms fills the air, creating a dream-like atmosphere that transports you to a world of serenity and wonder. As the petals gently fall like snowflakes, it serves as a reminder of the fleeting nature of beauty, urging us to appreciate the present moment and cherish the beauty that surrounds us. In Hirosaki Castle, amidst the Sakura blossoms, one can truly experience the magic of nature's artistry. 🌸 #SakuraBlossoms #HirosakiCastle #Nature'sBeauty #SpringVibes #cherryblossom2024

It's quite magical how I came to know about Hirosaki - I was discussing cherry blossom viewing in Japan with a friend, but it was already close to the blooming season in Osaka and Tokyo. So, I randomly searched and found out that the blooming in Aomori, in the northeastern part of Japan, happens later, usually in late April, and we could still make it to our schedule. Hirosaki Park is one of the most famous cherry blossom viewing spots in Aomori. During the cherry blossom season, there's also a cherry blossom festival, making the park even livelier. Talking about this trip: I had calculated the days, but a week before we set off for Hirosaki, a sudden change in temperature caused most of the cherry blossom varieties to bloom earlier. The day before we arrived, there had been heavy rain, and the cherry blossoms in Hirosaki Park's tunnel and Hirosaki Castle, which are famous spots, had almost all fallen. We only saw these few weeping cherry trees, which were also nearing the stage of cherry blossom blizzards. However, after hearing the news about the blooming, I had already lowered my expectations and thought it was all down to luck. So, when I saw the weeping cherry trees, I was still blown away!! Clusters of waterfall-like blossoms, the feeling of fragmentation when the breeze blew was unbeatable!! It also coincided with this year's cherry blossom festival (4.19-5.5), and there were quite a few shops and free matcha available in Hirosaki Park, adding some festivity. If you don't want to squeeze through the crowds in Tokyo or Kyoto during cherry blossom season, I really recommend considering Aomori in northeastern Japan! Hirosaki is part of Aomori Prefecture, and Hirosaki Park is a famous cherry blossom viewing spot, with the season generally in late April. Plus, the Aomori area has a lot of fun places to visit (check the main page for detailed strategies). 🌸 Cherry Blossom Viewing Strategy ① Check the blooming dates and plan your trip. Keep updated with the different blooming times for each area and variety, which are updated daily. ② There's a tourist information center at the Hirosaki station exit where you can get many free guides. During the cherry blossom festival, there are also guides and maps of Hirosaki Park for cherry blossom viewing, indicating where each type of flower and photo spots are. 🚗 Transportation Aomori has an airport, but there are no direct flights domestically; you need to transfer in Tokyo. I flew to Tokyo, took the Shinkansen to Shin-Aomori Station, and then transferred to JR to get to Hirosaki. 🏨 Hotels This time I stayed opposite Hirosaki Station, just across the road when exiting the station. It's a half-hour walk or a 15-minute bus ride from the hotel to Hirosaki Park. ➡️Hotel Route-Inn Hirosaki Ekimae ✅ Free Japanese breakfast and artificial hot spring (but the rooms are super small, and the room rate is 1k+ during cherry blossom season) 🚌 City Transportation Hirosaki is not big, and if you like walking, you can rely on walking. Buses accept Suica cards, and during the cherry blossom festival, the fare is 100 yen. There's a bicycle rental outside Hirosaki Station. 🏠 Other Attractions Besides Hirosaki Park for cherry blossom viewing, Hirosaki City also retains many Western-style buildings from the Meiji period, which is quite special. Most of the buildings are concentrated in one area and can be explored on foot. 📍Aomori Bank Memorial Hall > Hirosaki Church > Nichi-Tohoku Gakuin Foreign Teachers' House > Old Hirosaki City Library > Hirosaki City Hall > Starbucks Hirosaki Park Most places close around 5-6 pm, so be sure to check the times when planning your trip.

#cherryblossom2024 Such a different cherry blossom Since the end of April and the beginning of May, Hirosaki City Park in Aomori Prefecture has become one of the best places in Japan where sakura blooms. Large picturesque trees provide the park with a place in the list of the most popular places for hanami — the traditional admiring of spring flowers. Recommended Go through the sakura Tunnel near the Western Moat Admire Hirosaki Castle surrounded by flowering trees How to get there The park is located in the center of Hirosaki city. At Hirosaki Train Station, take the bus to Shiyakusho-mae Stop (15 minutes) or take a walk to the park (about half an hour). Pink splendor In spring, Hirosaki Park becomes a huge pink sea: more than 2,600 sakura trees bloom here, some older than 300 years. There are more than fifty varieties of cherries, including the most famous variety somei Yoshino, "weeping" sidare-dzakura and "double" yae-dzakura. The Apple Secret The local gardeners borrowed the technique of pruning branches from apple farmers from Aomori. That's why sakura produces almost twice as many flower buds in Hirosaki Park as in the wild. Under the weight of cherry blossoms The appeal of the night In the evenings, the illumination turns on, and the beauty of Hirosaki Castle becomes even more expressive. Go for a late walk to take a look at the cherry blossoms from a different angle.

—— Speaking of cherry blossom spots in Japan🌸 Hirosaki in Aomori Prefecture must be on the list. Since it's in the northern region, there aren't as many tourists. Locals love to go there to unwind🏕 Especially the park's three major festivals: · Spring - Cherry Blossom Festival🌸 · Autumn - Red Leaf Festival🍃 · Winter - Snow Lantern Festival❄ Each one is memorable for travelers. Recently, the park became famous because of the anime 'Demon Slayer' 🔥 The Japanese pronunciation of Nezuko, the sister of the protagonist Tanjiro, matches that of a historic tree over 500 years old within the park. People flock here to check in 📸 Additionally, there's a hidden spot in the park where the branches of two cherry trees overlap, creating a heart-shaped cherry blossom in the sky💕🌸 —— Basic information: 📍 Location: Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan ✈️ Access: Domestic ✈️ Tokyo 🚆 Hirosaki 🚗 Park 📄 VISA: Japanese visa 📜 💵 Currency: Japanese Yen 💷 💱 Exchange rate: 1:20.9 💹 🗣 Language: Japanese 🗨 📅 Park admission: Open season: April 1st - November 23rd, 9:00am～5:00pm Cherry blossom season: April 19th - May 5th, 7:00am～9:00pm 🎫 Tickets: General admission adults 520 yen, children 160 yen 📅 Best time to visit: Recommended during cherry blossom season 📷 Photo by: kyoko1903 —— ❗ Seasonal highlights: · Spring: Cherry Blossom Festival, cherry blossom tunnels, flower rafts, and night cherry blossoms, perfect for cherry blossom viewing and outings 🌸 · Summer: Cool off, quiet, suitable for walks, exercise, and camping🚶‍♂⛺ · Autumn: Red Leaf Festival, lush autumn leaves, evening light shows are a must-see 🍁💡 · Winter: Snow Lantern Festival, covered in white snow, snow lanterns and light shows are a highlight ❄🏮 —— 🚗How to get there · Tokyo🚆Hirosaki Tokyo Station → Shin-Aomori Station → Hirosaki Station 4 hours · Tokyo✈Hirosaki Tokyo Haneda Airport → Aomori Airport 🚌→ Hirosaki Station 2 hours · Tokyo🚌Hirosaki Tokyo (Ueno・Shinagawa・Hamamatsucho) → Hirosaki 9.5 hours · From Hirosaki Station→Hirosaki Park 🚌about 15 min 🚶‍about 30 min —— 🌄 Must-see spots: · Hirosaki Castle: A castle from the Edo period, one of the hundred famous castles 🏯 · Oldest Somei Yoshino cherry tree: About 130 years old🌸 · Thickest Somei Yoshino cherry tree trunk: Circumference of 537 cm🌳 · Botanical Garden: About 1 hour, with 1500 species and 124,000 trees and plants · Hirosaki Castle Information Center: Free, you can get the stamp of the Hundred Famous Castles, the center uses multimedia interaction and 3D projection to tell history, and sells original merchandise 🏰🎥 · Others: Hirosaki Municipal Museum, Civic Hall, Gokoku Shrine 🎭🏟

#2024wish Hirosaki castle is located in Hirosaki Park. It’s smaller than I imagined before getting there. But there is an abundant of exhibits for you to learn about the history of Hirosaki, the reason why and how the locals moved the castle from one to another site within Hirosaki park.The exhibits are in Japanese, English and Chinese. There is also an aminated video. Everything is easy to understand. I want to visit another park in this area this 2024.