Hirosaki Park is another one of my favorite site for cherry blossom in this trip. I like it so much that I visited twice this trip.  It is one of Japan’s “Three Great Cherry Blossom Spots” (日本三大櫻花名所）. The other two locations are Mount Yoshino in Nara Prefecture and Takato Castle Ruins Park in Nagano Prefecture. These spots are celebrated for their breathtaking scale and historic significance. 

After Morioka, I went to Aomori as the last stop of my cherry blossom trip in Northeast region.  It was a good day when I arrived Shin-Aomori so I went straight to the park after I dropped off my luggage in the hotel. 

Hirosaki is such a popular spot that there is always a long time of people queuing for the bus at Hirosaki station. Everyone seems to be going to the same place. And the traffic was slow due to high traffic. 

Hirosaki is a big park with  2,600 cherry trees across 52 species led by Somei Yoshino. Some cherry trees are century-old trees that produce clusters of 4 to 5 blossoms per bud, creating a dense floral canopy during cherry blossom. The best photo spots include some designated photo spots around the moat, red bridges in the inner moat, paid area of the castle tower where you can see the snow-capped Mount Iwaki, the famous sakura tunnel and the west moat boat rental area. Of course don’t miss the heart shaped cherry trees in the middle of the park.  It’s picturesque everywhere.   

Access: Take a Dotemachi Loop Bus or city bus from Hirosaki Station and get off at Shiyakusho-mae (in front of City Hall).
Or Walk 30 minutes from Hirosaki station.

Fees:
Hirosake Castle is free to visit.
Main keep | Adult ¥320. Children ¥100.
Botanical Garden | Adult ¥320. Children ¥250.
Combined ticket for the Main Keep, Botanical Garden and Fujita Memorial Garden | Adult ¥520. Children ¥160.