Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival 弘前さくらまつり

From late April to Early May, Hirosaki Park in Aomori Prefecture has some of Japan's best cherry blossoms. Impressive in scale and picturesque in setting, the Hirosaki Park cherry blossoms are one of Japan's top locations for hanami, or cherry blossom viewing.

Hirosaki Park is in the central part of Hirosaki City and can be reached by train or bus.

The park is a 15-minute bus ride from Hirosaki Station. Get off at Shiyakusho-mae bus stop. You can also walk to the park from Hirosaki Station in about 30 minutes.

With around 2,600 sakura trees, some of which are over 300 years old, the scale of the Hirosaki Park Cherry Blossoms is tremendous. The park has more than 50 varieties of sakura trees, including the most famous type, somei yoshino. It also includes shidare-zakura, the weeping cherry trees, and yae-zakura, the double-layer cherry trees.

Using the same pruning techniques that Aomori farmers use on their apple trees, the groundskeepers in Hirosaki Park have made the cherry trees flower with more buds than most other cherry trees. The volume of flowers on every branch is nearly double what grows naturally.

At night, the sakura trees and Hirosaki Castle are lit up, adding drama to the natural beauty. Take a walk around to see the cherry blossoms in another light.

The latest information may differ, so please check the official website.