When you need a break from the exploration in Hirosaki Park, Fujita Memorial Garden (藤田記念庭園) next to the park is a perfect spot for a rest. The memorial garden is an example of how Western and Japanese cultures can exist in harmony. Thus, if you are interested in unique architectural styles, check out the main house in addition to enjoying the apple pie at the cafe!
Table of Content
- About Fujita Memorial Garden
- Taishō Roman Tea Room (大正浪漫喫茶室)
- Fujita Memorial Garden’s Opening Hours, Admission Fee, and Access Information
Refer to HERE for the garden’s map.
About Fujita Memorial Garden
The property completed in 1921 was the villa of a successful businessman, Kenichi Fujita (藤田謙一). The garden has a size of 21,800 square meters which makes it the second biggest garden in North-Eastern Japan (just smaller than the Motsuji Temple‘s garden in Hiraizumi.
On the ground of the property, there is a Japanese-style house surrounded by a Japanese garden and a Western-style house with a Western-style garden.
Surprisingly, traveling between the two different styles isn’t jarring or confusing. It is probably due to the talent of the gardeners and architects back in the early 1900s.
In autumn, the spot is as beautiful as Hirosaki Park. If you get the Hirosaki Park + Hirosaki Castle combo ticket, don’t forget to drop by this memorial garden on your way out of Hirosaki Park (because it will be free to enter!).
If you plan to visit the garden, allow yourself around 30 minutes (if you are not dropping by the café).
Tip: If you want to make yourself a cup of matcha in the traditional setting, speak to the staff. The 15-minute experience is available from 10 am to 4 pm. The cost is 1,000 yen.
Fujita Memorial Garden’s Flower Calendar
- Cherry blossom: Mid to late April
- Rhododendron: early to mid-May
- Iris: mid to late June
- Autumn foliage: November
Taishō Roman Tea Room (大正浪漫喫茶室)
On the first floor of the Western-style house, there is a café, Taishō Roman Tea Room. The cafe is so famous that almost everyone who visits Hirosaki Park stops by. The spacious terrace seats are a luxurious space where you can have a cup of tea while looking out at the beautiful garden (*´ω｀).
The most popular dish is a range of apple pies. When we say “a range”, we mean that the top 7 most popular apple pies across Hirosaki City are also sold here!
So if you eat eggs, don’t forget to order a few of them and find out which apple pie you like the most!
If you are a vegetarian or vegan, order their spicy keema curry (the 3rd phot in the IG post above). But note the rice portion and the curry paste aren’t proportional. We ended up eating the curry rice with the toast we had with us. Otherwise, it was simply too salty (´▽｀*).
The best seats are the terrace seats because of the garden view. If you weren’t assigned to those seats, you can still enter the terrace area. Just remember don’t disturbed the customers there.
We were lucky that those who sat at the end table sensed we wanted to take photos of the garden, and said “please feel free to get close to the glass wall”. So, we got a photo of the garden view from the tea room with Mt. Iwaki as the backdrop!
Tips:
☛ If you are only coming for the Taishō Roman Tea Room, you don’t need to pay the admission fee to the garden.
☛ If you don’t have time queuing but want to try the apple pie, you can take it away.
Visiting the Taishō Roman Tea Room During the Peak Season
If you plan to visit the Taishō Roman Tea Room when festivals are held in Hirosaki Park, stop by the tea room first for a number. During the peak season, the business hours are divided into 60-minute sessions. Because the tea room can only accommodate nine groups of customers at any given point of time, all the numbers are likely to be taken before noon.
When we visited the cafe, an electronic registration system was used. You need to enter your name and seat preference. They will notify you to return to the tea room when it is your turn by either Line (a similar app like WhatsApp) or phone call.
Note that it didn’t seem like the registration system is English-speaker friendly. If you don’t read Japanese, please seek help from the staff.
Fujita Memorial Garden’s Opening Hours, Admission Fee, and Access Information
- The garden is open from 9 am to 5 pm.
- The last entry is at 4:30 pm.
- The cafe is open throughout the year from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.
- The last order is taken at 4 pm.
- The admission fee is
- 320 yen for adults
- 100 yen for children
- Free if you are only visiting the Western-style house
- If the garden is open for other night-time events, the opening hours will be from 9 am to 8 pm.
- The last admission is at 7:30 pm.
- As the garden is next to Hirosaki Park, refer to the park’s Access Information for how to get to Fujita Memorial Garden.
- If you are taking a bus, get off at Shiyakusho Mae (市役所前)
Tips:
☛ There is also a combo ticket available for purchase to enter both areas (520 yen for adults and 160 yen for children). With this combo ticket, you can also access to the Paid Area in Hirosaki Park.
☛ It is free to enter the garden on the last Sunday of June.
Where Else to Visit at Hirosaki?
Of course, Fujita Memorial Garden won’t be the only attraction you want to visit in Hirosaki. The city has many more attractions that you might be interested, including Hirosaki Park and Hirosaki Castle.
So, find out more of our other recommended spots around the park with our Hirosaki City article!
