Hirosaki Park
Anchored by Tohoku's only surviving Edo-period castle keep, this park is celebrated for its vivid seasonal festivals.
- Hirosaki Park and Castle
Description
Spanning around 49 hectares around the historic 1611 keep, the grounds transform across four distinct seasonal festivals. Spring's cherry blossom festival brings roughly 2,600 cherry trees into bloom, culminating in *hana-ikada* as fallen petals turn the outer moat entirely pink. Summer introduces the Hirosaki Neputa Festival, followed by the autumn Chrysanthemum and Foliage Festival. In February, the park hosts the Snow Lantern Festival—one of Michinoku's five major winter events—where citizen-crafted snow lanterns and illuminated snow-draped pines and keep light up the winter nights.