When the park is colored with Cherry petals,
An Exciting Encounter Awaits
Over 300 Trees of over 100 Years of Age
Hirosaki Cherry, Magnificent Flowering
The cherry blossoms of Hirosaki Park are known as the best in Japan and are usually at their best during the national Golden Week holiday, bringing over two million visitors from all over Japan and abroad. Today, the park is the home to 2,600 cherry trees of over 50 different varieties including someiyoshino, shidarezakura (weeping cherry), and yaezakura (double layer cherry).
Visitors who come to the park when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom encounter an astonishing number of cherry blossoms. This is because each branch produces four to five flowering buds or even seven buds on one branch, resulting in voluminous cherry trees fully laden with flowers.
Typically, someiyoshino cherry trees live on average for 60 years. There are over 300 trees in Hirosaki Park that have lived for over 100 years, and over 1200 have lived for 60 years or more. They continue to entertain people with persistent beauty.
In contrast to ambitious young trees which grow by lengthening their branches upwards, venerable old trees elegantly grow their branches to the side, stretching their blossom-loaded branches down to visitors’ eye level. Trees along the old castle moat lower their branches to the water’s edge. The combination of voluminous flowers with the elegance and majesty of the old trees make the cherry blossoms of Hirosaki Park very special. On top of that, the historical structures such as the Tenshukaku tower produce a refined atmosphere that can only be seen at Hirosaki Park.
The Hirosaki Style to a World Model!
Legend of the Miraculous Cheery that Broke New Ground
The cherry blossoms at Hirosaki Park are unique due to a special apple pruning technique that has been used in apple growing for over 130 years. Though pruning branches of cherry trees was unthinkable, the cherry trees of Hirosaki Park were pruned by adapting the pruning technique used on apples. Thus establishing the Hirosaki style of pruning which invigorates the cherry tree. This Hirosaki Style Pruning has received attention from all over Japan and has spread across the nation. The revolutionary Hirosaki-born technique is now being used as a standard in Japan and abroad.
In addition to professional groups “sakura mamori”, citizen tourist guides, and volunteers who maintain the park all work together to preserve the best cherry blossoms of Japan.
The Oldest Someiyoshino of Japan.
Feel enchanted by the illuminated night cherry.
Hirosaki Park has many highlights that must not be missed. The view of Tenshukaku surrounded by full-bloomed flowers from the scarlet Gejo Bridge and the west moat famous for the sakura tunnel are well-known sightseeing spots within Hirosaki Park. Visiting the Tenshukaku, sightseers can look upon the symbol of Hirosaki, Mt.Iwaki appearing to float on clouds of cherry flowers, a spectacular view.
At night during the Cherry Blossom Festival, the park is specially illuminated, giving visitors the chance to enjoy the romantic and bewitching atmosphere in contrast to the lively air of the day. Visitors can also explore the park and search for the many unique cherry trees such as the Japan oldest centenarian someiyoshino tree, the Otakizakura tree named by artist Shiko Munekata, Hirosaki Yoshino, and Hirosaki Yuki Akari.
The Castle is Moving!
Become witness to the Once-in-a-century Renovation
At the foundation of Hirosaki Castle Honmaru, the stones are beginning to weaken and protrude outwards. The 10-year renovation of the stone base was last done a hundred years ago. The castle tower Tenshu will be moved 70 meters (229 feet) northwest without disassemble. After the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival of 2015, the sight of the Gejo Bridge, Tenshukaku, and moat together will not be possible for some time. We welcome you to come and witness the beginning of a story of the century and see history as it happens.
See Aomori’s Attruction
