Hirosaki

Introduction

Hirosaki is a city in western Aomori Prefecture, in the far north of Japan's main island. It spreads across a large area of just over 524 square kilometres, with a population density of roughly 300 people per square kilometre.

Before you go

Getting there

Hirosaki sits on the JR Ōu Main Line, which links it with Aomori, Akita and Fukushima. The nearest airport is in Aomori, so most travellers arrive by rail. From Tokyo Station, take the Tohoku Shinkansen Hayate or Hayabusa to Shin-Aomori, then change to the Tsugaru Limited Express or a local Ōu Main Line train bound for Akita or Odate. If you are coming from Akita, the Tsugaru train is far quicker than the alternatives unless you specifically want the scenery of the seasonal Resort Shirakami, which runs between Akita and Aomori via the Gono line and stops here. Foreign visitors travelling from Tokyo are better off with a JR East Rail Pass or the national Japan Rail Pass.

From Aomori, local trains depart roughly once an hour and take about 45 minutes, with extra Rapid services at the same fare during rush hour.

Getting around

Hirosaki is fairly spread out, so while the castle-town core around Hirosaki Castle is pleasant on foot, you will likely need buses or trains to reach the wider city and surrounding sights affordably. Most transport lines radiate from JR Hirosaki Station, which makes it the natural anchor for your day. There is no tram or metro network, so getting around without a car means relying on the rail lines plus the local bus system.

• Rail: Hirosaki sits on the JR Ōu Main Line, connecting it with Aomori, Akita and Fukushima. From Tokyo, take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Shin-Aomori, then change to the Tsugaru Limited Express or a local Ōu Main Line train bound for Akita or Ōdate. From Akita, the Tsugaru train is far quicker than the scenic alternatives unless you specifically want the coastal views. Two private Kōnan Railway lines, the Kōnan Line and the Ōwani Line, reach suburban and outlying parts of the city that the JR line does not cover.
• Buses: Buses are the main way to move around affordably, and most lines radiate from JR Hirosaki Station. The principal operator is Kōnan Bus, and Suica and other IC cards are accepted on local buses. For sightseeing, the Dotemachi Loop Bus is the most convenient option, running every ten minutes; board it at the Hirosaki Bus Terminal (stop No. 8) or JR Hirosaki Station's Central Exit (stop D100). A one-day ticket gives unlimited rides on the Dotemachi Loop Bus and the Jōtō Loop Bus (Ōmachi and Wattoku routes), but it can only be paid for by IC card, so have one ready. Highway buses connect Tokyo with Hirosaki, running both during the day and overnight.
• Taxis: Taxis are available, but the source does not describe a local ride-hailing app, so plan on conventional taxis or the bus and rail network.
• Walking: The castle-town core is the most rewarding part to explore on foot, centred on Hirosaki Castle and its surrounding park, with the Fujita Memorial Japanese Garden and the Nakamachi Samurai Houses nearby. During the Cherry Blossom Festival you can even hire rowing boats at the outer moat of Hirosaki Park. Beyond this compact historic area, expect to combine walking with buses or trains.
• From the airport: The closest airport is Aomori Airport (AOJ); an airport bus connects it to Hirosaki in roughly an hour. Alternatively, Shin-Aomori Station is the last stop on the Tohoku Shinkansen, and a local train from there to Hirosaki takes about half an hour to forty minutes.

Where to stay

Hirosaki's accommodation splits between the castle area and the train station area. In the castle area, you'll find Capsule Inn Hirosaki, a budget capsule hotel in Kajimachi in the Asahi Building, with a sauna, free internet and wi-fi, a TV room and a small restaurant/bar. Also in the castle area is Dormy Inn Hirosaki, which has an onsen on site.

• Capsule Inn Hirosaki — capsule hotel in Kajimachi, Asahi Building; sauna, free internet and wi-fi, TV room, restaurant/bar
• Dormy Inn Hirosaki — onsen on site

Near Hirosaki station, Art Hotel Hirosaki City sits very close to the station and offers in-house restaurants, shopping and a gym. Several business hotels cluster in the same area: Hotel Route-Inn Hirosaki ekimae, Blossom Hotel Hirosaki, which has larger rooms than your average business hotel, and Toyoko Inn Hirosaki ekimae.

• Art Hotel Hirosaki City — 1-1-2 Ohmachi; close to Hirosaki station, in-house restaurants, shopping, gym
• Hotel Route-Inn Hirosaki ekimae — business hotel
• Blossom Hotel Hirosaki — larger rooms than your average business hotel
• Toyoko Inn Hirosaki ekimae — business hotel

Food & drink

Hirosaki is Japan's leading producer of apples, a crop introduced to the city in 1875 by John Inge, an American teacher at a local school. If you find yourself near the expansive apple orchards, the local apple juice is a treat worth seeking out.

• Bunpuku Chagama, near the Hirosaki Daigaku Ministop convenience store, is a ramen shop with many flavours of ramen; it also sells ice cream.
• Tsugaru Akatsuki no Kai, some distance from the centre of town, was formed to preserve the traditional cuisine of the Tsugaru region. It is by reservation only, and with advance booking by phone (Japanese language only) they will cook lunch for groups of four to ten people.

For nightlife, head to the Kajimachi area around the castle — if you can't find it, look for the giant bowling pin downtown. This is where you'll find the best nightlife in Hirosaki, including "American style" bars such as Ash, Gumbo and Garcom de Bar. The Nishihiro area, near the colleges, has plenty of cheap bars and izakayas, though they are harder to find than those in Kajimachi.

What to see and do

Hirosaki Castle anchors the city's sightseeing. Completed in 1611 and home to generations of the Tsugaru Clan, its grounds take in three concentric moats, earthen fortifications, five castle gates, three corner keeps and a castle tower. The original five-story tower burned down after a lightning strike; the current three-storied Tenshukaku tower replaced it and now holds a museum of samurai-era swords, armour, helmets and other castle-related items. The grounds double as a public park known nationwide for its cherry blossoms. At the park's northeastern corner, Neputa Village keeps the festival's floats and memorabilia on display outside festival season, including a particularly large specimen, and runs workshops making traditional Hirosaki handicrafts that you can buy. On the other side of the park, Oteman Square holds the tourist information centre and more Neputa material, among it a drum big enough for a crowd to pound at once.

Beyond the park, the temple districts reward a wander. Zenringai is a collection of 33 Zen temples, moved or built here to spiritually safeguard the castle, on the road to Chōshō-ji Temple, which is known for its Sanmon Gate and a hall of wooden statues of the 500 Disciples of Buddha. Shinteramachi is a slightly newer set of temples of the Nichiren sect, and Saishō-in Monastery is known for its five-storied pagoda. In the samurai district you can see the Former Ito Residence, home and practice of a doctor family through the feudal era, whose architecture closely resembles a samurai residence, and Zuirakuen Garden, a study garden laid out by a wealthy farming family. Iwakiyama Shrine, with over 1200 years of history, sits at the base of Mount Iwaki for mountain worship, and the Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art occupies a former brewery building, with no permanent gallery, so what you see depends on the current feature. The city's biggest event is the Neputa Festival in the first week of August, famous for extravagant illuminated floats and dancers, and more low-key and accessible than Aomori's counterpart, with good chances of interacting with the parade and participants. The cherry blossom festival fills the castle park with trees in bloom and a mood of laughing, singing, dancing and drinking, and in early February the snow lantern festival lights the park with snow lanterns and sculptures through the evenings.

When to go

Hirosaki has a humid continental climate, so your trip will feel very different depending on the season you choose. Summers are hot, and August is both the warmest and the wettest month of the year — rain is a frequent companion to the heat, so pack for warm, humid days and be ready for showers.

Winters are cold and bring heavy snowfall. January is the coldest month, with wintry conditions and snow on the ground throughout the season, so you'll want proper cold-weather clothing. If you'd rather avoid the heaviest rain and snow, spring is your best bet: April is the driest month of the year, offering a comparatively dry stretch.

Three days in Hirosaki

Day one: Base yourself in Hirosaki, a castle town in Aomori Prefecture in the Tohoku region of northern Japan. Reach it from Tokyo Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen Hayate or Hayabusa to Shin-Aomori, then change to the JR Ou Main Line; the Tsugaru Limited Express also serves the city, and from Aomori a rapid service runs to JR Hirosaki Station. Once settled, walk the grounds of Hirosaki Castle, the centrepiece of the town, and get your bearings in the surrounding streets.

Day two: Give the day to the castle and its park, which is the reason most travellers come. The castle keep and the surrounding grounds reward slow wandering rather than rushing. If you are in the city during the Neputa Festival, plan your evening around it; the festival is the city's great summer event and the streets fill accordingly.

Day three: Use Hirosaki as a springboard for the wider region. The Resort Shirakami runs along the coast, and the Tsugaru Limited Express continues toward Odate. With a JR East Rail Pass or Japan Rail Pass you can range further across Tohoku, with connections toward Akita and Fukushima. Before you leave, spend a last hour in the castle grounds, then return to JR Hirosaki Station for the journey onward.