Vegetarian's Japan Guide

Hirosaki – The Most Attractive City in Aomori Prefecture

Hirosaki City (弘前市) is located on the western side of the Aomori Prefecture. The city is most well-known for Hirosaki Castle (弘前城) and Hirosaki Park (弘前公園), which is one of the top three cherry blossom viewing spots as well as one of the three most popular illuminated cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan. The city, filled with historical buildings, temples, and churches, isn’t just beautiful in spring. Whether it is summer, autumn, or winter, Hirosaki City is able to amaze visitors no matter the season!

And if you love apples, the city harvests the most apples in Japan, making it a heaven for apple (and apple pie) lovers because the apples in Hirosaki are fresh, delicious, and cheap (≧▽≦).

Hirosaki is a city where Japanese and Western architecture exists in harmony. From the Hirosaki Castle and temples that were built both before and during the Edo period (1603 – 1868) to the western styles buildings such as the Aomori Bank Memorial Museum (青森銀行紀念館) built in the Meiji (1868 – 1912 ) and Taishō period (1912 – 1926), there is an abundance of beautiful architecture to adore when you come to Hirosaki.

So What Are the Attractions in Hirosaki City’s Center?

Most of Hirosaki City’s attractions are close to Hirosaki Park, where the famous Hirosaki Castle is located.

Explore Hirosaki with a Professional Guide

If you prefer a guide to introduce you to the beautiful historical township, how about joining one of the below tours?

When Is the Best Time to Visit Hirosaki?

The people living in Hirosaki must have a great mind for business. Each season, at least one big festival attracts a minimum of 200,000 people to enjoy what Hirosaki has to offer. Those cherry blossom trees, and the trees that produce a vibrant autumn color weren’t just planted overnight.

You will surely be amazed by how grand each festival is!

Spring at Hirosaki

Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival
Ⓒ Hirosaki Park

With the number of tourists coming to Hirosaki for the Cherry Blossom Festival (弘前さくらまつり) and the jam-packed hotels in the city, it goes without saying that late April to early May is one of the best times to visit this beautiful city.

The Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival will take place from the  21st of April to the 5th of May in 2023. For more information, please refer to the official website HERE.

Apart from the cherry blossom, if you dislike the heat in summer and the cold in winter, visiting Hirosaki in spring can be a great idea with mild temperatures and mostly sunny weather (=゚ω゚)ノ.

Summer at Hirosaki

Although you might think Hirosaki is a great place to escape from the summer heat due to its high latitude, this is definitely NOT the case!

While the average summer temperature doesn’t exceed 30 degrees, that is the “average” of the past how many years… The earth is warming up, and the city’s temperature can now easily go beyond 30 degrees on a sunny day without any issue.

Hirosaki Neputa Festival
Ⓒ Hirosaki City

So, what do we come to Hirosaki in the summer for? For its famous Hirosaki Neputa Festival from the 1st to the 7th of August each year!

All the illuminated floats paraded at night during the 7 days festival have Japanese folk-tale characters drawn on them. The gigantic taiko drums are also one of the highlights of the festival!

For more information, please refer to the official website HERE!

Autumn at Hirosaki

Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum And Autumn Foliage Festival
Ⓒ Hirosaki Park

You can hardly find a spot in Japan that isn’t beautiful in autumn. In Hirosaki, the highlight is the Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum And Autumn Foliage Festival (弘前城菊と紅葉まつり)!

The festival, held from late October to early November each year, features several local folks performing on traditional instruments such as taiko drums and shamisen (a type of Japanese lute).

Whether during the day or at night, you can enjoy the vibrant autumn color at Hirosaki Castle and Hirosaki Park (and, of course, anywhere else in the city)!

In 2023, Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum and Autumn Foliage Festival will take place from the 27th of October to the 5th of November. For more information about the festival, please refer to the official website HERE!

Winter at Hirosaki

You will see lots of snow if you visit Hirosaki in winter. Whiteouts can occur during a heavy snow day, which can be quite fascinating if you come from a place that doesn’t snow. In fact, there really are tourists who come to Hirosaki hoping to experience this weather condition!

If you happen to be traveling in mid-February, the Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival (弘前城雪燈籠まつり) is waiting for you (*’▽’). But please make sure you bring enough clothes with you unless you want to buy some heat-tech innerwear from Uniqlo – which isn’t a bad idea either (^_-)-☆.

In 2024, Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival will take place from the 9th to the 12th of February. For more information about the festival, please refer to the official website HERE!

Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival
Ⓒ Hirosaki City

Tips: From mid-December to late March, you can rent long boots for free (sizes are between 20 cm to 27 cm) from the below 3 locations. You can leave your shoes with them while you rent the boots out. Note no reservation is available.
☛ Hirosaki Municipal Tourist Center (弘前市立観光館) from 9 am to 5 pm. Return the boots by 6 pm.
☛ Hirosaki City Tourist Information Center (弘前市観光案内所) from 8:45 am to 5 pm. Return the boots by 6 pm.
☛ Hirosaki City Machinaka Information Center (弘前市まちなか情報センター) from 9 am to 8 pm. Return the boots by 9 pm.
Note that the hours you rent out the boots may differ from the above from the end of December to the beginning of January.

Apart from the long boots, they also provide non-slippery rubber (滑り止めゴム) for shoe rental service. Please talk to the staff at the locations above if you prefer to use the rubber instead.

Sightseeing in Hirosaki with Rental Bikes

The thing we love about this city is its bike rental services. There are a couple of places where you can rent a regular bike for 500 yen (or an electric-assisted bike for 1,000 yen) for the rest of the day (you have to return the bike by 4 pm, though)!

If you are coming to Hirosaki by JR train, one of the bike rental stations is conveniently located at Hirosaki City Tourist Information Center (弘前市観光案内所) on the JR Hirosaki Station’s ground floor (=゚ω゚)ノ.

Bike Rental Hirosaki Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

For more information about this service, please refer to Hirosaki Tourism And Convention Bureau’s website HERE!

Click HERE to get back to a list of attractions in Hirosaki City.

Apple Post Boxes in Hirosaki

During your time at Hirosaki, see how many street post boxes you can find with an apple on top (≧▽≦).

We are sure you will be super excited like us when you spot one. But here are some tips. You should definitely be able to find one around Hirosaki Apple Park, JR Hirosaki Station, or Hirosaki City Hall!

How to Get to Hirosaki City

From Tokyo

  • By Train: from Tokyo Station (東京駅), take the bullet train Hayabusa or Hayate (はやぶさ・はやて) to Shin-Aomori Station (新青森駅). Then change for limited express – Tsugaru (つがる) to get to JR Hirosaki Station. The whole trip without waiting time should take you around 4 hours.
  • By Airplane + Bus: you will need to get to either Haneda Airport (羽田空港) or Narita Airport (成田空港). From there, fly to Aomori Airport (青森空港) and then change for the airport connection bus to Hirosaki Bus Terminal (弘前バスタミナール). The bus trip should take you around an hour without traffic jams. Depending on which airport you are flying from, your time on the airplane shouldn’t exceed 1.5 hours.
    • The bus service running between Aomori Airport and Hirosaki is by Kōnan Bus (弘南バス). When you arrive at Aomori Airport, head to bus stop no. 1 (if you are heading to the Aomori Airport from Hirosaki, head to bus stop no. 5).
    • This one-hour bus journey will cost you 1,200 yen (600 yen for kids between 6 and 12 years old). There is currently no discount offered for return trip tickets.
    • For the bus timetable, please refer to Kōnan Bus’s website HERE.
      • Hirosaki Station = 弘前駅
      • Aomori Airport = 青森空港
      • If you need assistance interpreting the timetable, please contact us HERE, and we will get back to you.
  • By Bus: there are quite a few places from Tokyo where you can catch a direct bus to Hirosaki. It will take you between 9 to 9.5 hours to get to Hirosaki.

From Osaka

  • By Train: from Shin-Osaka Station (新大阪), take the bullet train Nozomi (のぞみ) to JR Tokyo Station. From there, refer to the top of how to get to Hirosaki from Tokyo! It will only take 2.5 hours to go from Osaka to Tokyo if you take Nozomi.
  • By Airplane + Bus: from any airport in Osaka, flying to Aomori Airport should take around 1.5 hours. Then refer to the above for how to get to Hirosaki with an airport connection bus.

How to Get Around Hirosaki City Center

To get to various attractions in Hirosaki’s city center, take the Dotechō Junkan Bus (土手町循環バス) departs from Hirosaki Bus Terminal’s (弘前バスタミナール) bus stop no. 8 in front of JR Hirosaki Station between 10 am and 6 pm from April to November. The service is running at a 10-minute interval (10 am to 5 pm from December to March).

You can also take the Tanenobugō Bus (ためのぶ号) departs from bus stop no. 4 between April and November. HERE is the timetable in Japanese for your reference. Basically, the bus departs from Hirosaki Bus Terminal at 9:15 am, 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm.

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Hirosaki Castle and Hirosaki Park

Hirosaki Castle

Hirosaki-Castle-Aomori-Japan
Ⓒ Hirosaki Park

Hirosaki Castle is the symbol of Hirosaki City. With its castle tower (天守閣) being the only one that has retained its original appearance since the Edo period in North-Eastern Japan, the Castle is a must-visit spot for a Japanese history buff.

For more information, please refer to our article on Hirosaki Castle!

Hirosaki Park

The Hirosaki Park consists of 492,000 square meters, which includes Hirosaki Castle. The park features a variety of plants, from approximately 2,600 cherry blossom trees (50 different types) to ginkgo and chrysanthemum, all there to add different seasonal colors to this massive park throughout the year (*’▽’).

After you visit Hirosaki Castle, if you have time, strolling around this park is definitely a good idea. There is even a shrine in the park for visitors to pray for a peaceful world!

Hirosaki Park Moat Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

For more information, please refer to our article on Hirosaki Park!

Click HERE to get back to a list of attractions in Hirosaki City.

Fujita Memorial Garden (藤田記念庭園)

The Fujita Memorial Garden is just next to Hirosaki Park. This memorial garden is the perfect example of how Western and Japanese cultures can exist in harmony.

The property 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.

Fujita Memorial Garden Western House Hirosaki Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture
Fujita Memorial Garden Hirosaki Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

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.

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`).

Fujita Memorial Garden Cafe Hirosaki Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

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!

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 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 Autumn Hirosaki Aomori
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

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 at least 40 minutes (if you are not dropping by the café).

Fujita Memorial Garden’s Admission Fee, Opening Hours, and Access Information

  • The admission fee is
    • 320 yen for adults
    • 100 yen for children
    • Free if you are only visiting the Western-style house
  • The garden is open between the 1st of April and the 23rd of November from 9 am to 5 pm.
    • The last entry is at 4:30 pm.
    • Note that between the 24th of November to the end of March, only parts of the Garden are open.
  • The cafe is open throughout the year from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.
    • The last order is taken at 4 pm.
  • 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.
  • Refer to how to get to Hirosaki Park for access. If you are taking a bus, get off at Shiyakusho Mae (市役所前)

Click HERE to get back to a list of attractions in Hirosaki City.

Tsugaru-Han Neputa Village (津軽藩ねぷた村)

Neputa Village Hirosaki Aomori Japan Exterior
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

This whole village is about one of the Three Great Festivals of the Tōhoku Region – the Hirosaki Neputa Festival (ねぶた祭). This festival, which sees more than 2 million people coming to Aomori, is held from the 1st to the 7th of August each year.

Throughout the festival period, parades of gigantic neputa lantern floats and folk art performances happen every day from morning to night.

As we tourists don’t have a Teleportation Door that the cartoon character – Doraemon possesses, the Neputa Village is there for us to have a window back in time with this spectacular event!

Although the name of the village is “neputa”, it is more like a Tsugaru region’s folk crafts museum. Whether you just feel like strolling around the village to explore nuputa lanterns that depict gods, Japanese and Chinese historical or mythical figures, or Kabuki actors, or you want to learn how various local craftworks are made by actually making one yourself, Neputa Village can cater to your request!

Neputa Village Hirosaki Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

There are, of course, restaurants and souvenir shops ready to empty your wallet. So if you are interested in these cultural spots, you can easily spend half a day immersing yourself in this culturally rich destination next to Hirosaki Park (*’▽’).

For more information, refer to the official website HERE.

Neputa Village’s Access Information, Opening Hours, and Admission Fees

  • The admission fee is
    • 600 yen for adults
    • 400 yen for high school students
    • 300 yen for elementary school students
    • 100 yen for children from 3 years old
  • The village is open daily from 9 am to 5:30 pm (till 4 pm from December to March)
    • The last admission is at 5 pm.
  • To get to the village, get off the bus at Tsugaru-Han Neputa Village (津軽藩ねぷた村)

Click HERE to get back to a list of attractions in Hirosaki City.

Former Ito Family Residence (旧伊藤家住宅)

This house is located in the Nakacho Traditional Buildings Preservation Area (仲町伝統的建造物群保存地区). Back in the shogunate era, the Ito family used to serve as doctors at Hirosaki Castle.

Former Ito Family Residence Aomori Japan Entrance
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture
Former Ito Family Residence Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

Inside the house, you can explore the structure and characteristics of a middle-class samurai house from the Edo period!

P.S. It is free to enter the grounds of the house (^_-)-☆.

Former Ito Family Residence’s Access Information and Opening Hours

  • To get to the house, get off the bus at Tsugaru-Han Neputa Village (津軽藩ねぷた村). The House is just a 5-minute walk away from the bus stop.
  • The house is open from 10 am to 4 pm from April to November (except on the 13th of August and from the 29th of December to the 3rd of January)
  • The house is closed on Tuesdays and Fridays from July to October and Monday to Thursday from November to March.
  • Note during the Neputa Festival and Autumn Festival, the house is open regardless of the above.

Former Iwata Family Residence (旧岩田家住宅)

Former Iwata Family Residence Aomori Entrance
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

Unlike the Ito Family Residence, this one is a thatched-roof samurai house with a Japanese tea room atmosphere.

Most of the main parts of the house, such as the pillars, huts, and thatched roofs, have never been replaced with new material but retain their original state, built 200 years ago.

If you want to know about the life of the samurai in Hirosaki at that time, make sure you drop by this residence!

Entry is again – FREE!

Former Iwata Family Residence Aomori Japan Garden
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

Former Iwata Family Residence’s Access Information and Opening Hours

  • To get to the house, get off the bus at Tsugaru-Han Neputa Village (津軽藩ねぷた村). The house is just a 2-minute walk away from the bus stop.
  • The house is open from 10 am to 4 pm (opening hours may differ during the days when festivals are held in Hirosaki)
  • The house is closed on Mondays and Thursdays from July to October and Wednesday to Sunday from November to March.
  • Note during the Neputa Festival and Autumn Festival, and Winter Festival, the House is open regardless of the above.
  • The house is also closed on the 13th of August and from the 29th of December to the 3rd of January.

Former Tōō Gijuku Missionary Residence (旧東奥義塾外人教師館)

This residence, built in 1903, was the dormitory for foreign teachers who taught at Tōō Gijuku School. The museum inside the residence has furniture and furnishings used back in the Meiji period (1868 – 1912 ).

If you are interested in what foreigners’ life was like in the early 1900s in Japan, then this is the place you want to visit when you come to Hirosaki!

P.S. Entry is FREE!

Former Tōō Gijuku Missionary Residence Hirosaki Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture
ミニチュア建造物 At Otemon Square Hirosaki Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

And for those who love visiting unique cafés, you won’t want to miss out on the café on its ground floor. Again, apple pie is the most popular dish (´▽`*). From the cafe’s window, you are able to see miniature buildings across the road at Ōtemon Square (追手門広場).

Chilling here for a few hours and pretending you are one of those foreign teachers who were invited to Japan back in the 1800s can be another way to enjoy your time at Hirosaki!

Former Tōō Gijuku Missionary Residence’s Access Information and Opening Hours

  • To get to this Residence, get off the bus at Shiyakusho Mae (市役所前)
  • The residence is open from 9 am to 6 pm daily
  • The cafe is open from 9:30 am to 6 pm
    • The last order is at 5:30 pm

Click HERE to get back to a list of attractions in Hirosaki City.

Miniature Structures (ミニチュア建造物)

In Ōtemon Square (追手門広場), you will find 14 miniature buildings quietly sitting on the grass lawn. While you may not be able to find some of them now in Hirosaki city, they actually existed during the Meiji and Taisho periods (1868 – 1926).

The buildings are 1/10 of the size of the original building, so there are about the size of a little 3-year-old!

ミニチュア建造物-At-Otemon-Square-Hirosaki-Aomori-Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

For those buildings that still remain standing nowadays, it could be really fun to compare the miniature version of the buildings with the real ones (^_-)-☆.

P.S. It is free to get into Otemon Square (=゚ω゚)ノ.

Miniature Structures’ Access Information and Opening Hours

  • From JR Hirosaki Station (弘前駅), it is a 30-minute walk to the Museum.
  • You can also cut your travel time by taking a bus and getting off at Shiyakusho Mae (市役所前).

Click HERE to get back to a list of attractions in Hirosaki City.

Former Hirosaki City Library (旧弘前市立図書館)

The Former Hirosaki City Library is another example of Japanese and Western fusion. Completed in 1906, the library was largely built in Renaissance style, but you can also spot Japanese architectural elements here and there throughout the building.

This cute building was open to the public as a library until 1931. It is currently a museum featuring the history of the building and local literature. As it is super close to Hirosaki Park and entry is free, why not add this little spot to your itinerary, even just for a photo op?

Former Hirosaki City Library Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

Former Hirosaki City Library’s Access Information and Opening Hours

  • From JR Hirosaki Station (弘前駅), it is a 30-minute walk to this library.
  • You can also cut your travel time by taking a bus and getting off at Shiyakusho Mae (市役所前).
  • The library is open from 9 am to 5 pm daily!

Click HERE to get back to a list of attractions in Hirosaki City.

Aomori Bank Memorial Museum (青森銀行紀念館)

This building was built to be the first bank in Aomori Prefecture. The renaissance-style building comes with a tower that serves as an observatory – which isn’t open to the public at the moment… (;´・ω・)

Various financial instruments such as old banknotes and coins are displayed on the ground floor. If you have a great passion for the banking industry, come here to discover how the industry has evolved!

Aomori Bank Memorial Museum Hirosaki Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

For those that love renaissance-style design, as the interior and furnishings are very gorgeous, we are sure you will get very excited once you enter this old bank building (and don’t forget to check out the ceiling for the Aomori’s traditional craft “Kinkara leather painting (金唐革絵)”!).

Aomori Bank Memorial Museum’s Access Information, Opening Hours, and Admission Fees

  • From JR Hirosaki Station (弘前駅), it is a 30-minute walk to the Museum.
  • You can also cut your travel time by taking a bus and getting off at Shiyakusho Mae (市役所前). The residence is just a 1-minute walk away from the bus stop.
  • The Museum is open between 9:30 and 4:30 from the 1st of April to the end of November daily except for Tuesdays and from the 29th of December to the 3rd of January.
  • During Cherry Blossom Festival, Neputa Festiva, and Snow Lantern Festival, the Museum is open from 9:30 am to 6 pm.
  • The admission fee is
    • 200 yen for adults
    • 100 yen for elementary and junior school students

Click HERE to get back to a list of attractions in Hirosaki City.

Catholic Hirosaki Church (カトリック弘前教会)

The Catholic Hirosaki Church is a Romanesque wooden mortar church built in 1910 and has been used as a church ever since.

Either the air in Hirosaki is really clean, or they put a lot of effort into keeping the church’s appearance as pristine as possible. As you can see in the photo, the church still meets its visitors with its pure white walls!

The church is open from 7 am to 7 pm (until sunset in wintertime). Unless the church is holding a mass, tourists are all welcome to walk around the church.

Catholic Hirosaki Church Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture
Catholic Hirosaki Church Aomori Japan Interior
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

The gothic-style altar was a gift from the Church of St. Thomas in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Pay close attention to those brighter colored stained glass. You will find something that can’t be found elsewhere in the world (hint: apples and shamisen (Japanese lute))!

Catholic Hirosaki Church’s Access Information and Opening Hours

To get to the Church, take a bus and get off at Bunka sentā (文化センター). The Church is just a 5-minute walk away from the bus stop.

Click HERE to get back to a list of attractions in Hirosaki City.

Hirosaki Church, United Church of Christ in Japan (日本キリスト教団 弘前教会)

Hirosaki Church, United Church of Christ Hirosaki Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

This ivory church is a Protestant church that was originally built in 1875. The current church that we can visit now is actually the second rebuilt in 1907. It has a structure of a heavy wooden two-story building with a double tower Gothic style similar to Notre Dame.

The church has a very simple interior with a red carpet and white walls, but it feels sublime!

If you want to have a peek at what this church looks like inside, come between 9 am and 4 pm. But also note that the church is closed on Wednesday and Sunday before lunchtime (the gate will also be locked when there is no staff inside the church).

For more information, please refer to their website HERE.

Hirosaki Church, United Church of Christ in Japan’s Access Information and Opening Hours

To get to the church, take a bus and get off at Bunka sentā (文化センター). The church is just a 5-minute walk away from the bus stop.

Click HERE to get back to a list of attractions in Hirosaki City.

Saishōin Temple (金剛山最勝院)

Saishōin Temple Hirosaki Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

Saishoin Temple, which is close to Hirosaki Park, is a famous cherry blossom spot. But the grounds of the temple are also stunning during autumn.

The temple was originally built in 1667 to pray for the peace of those who passed away in the battle of Tsugaru region unification.

Because of the contrast between its red color and the surrounding nature, the 5-story pagoda that can be seen from the streets of Hirosaki is said to be the most beautiful pagoda in North-Eastern Japan (*´ω`).

After you visit Hirosaki Castle, why not dropping by the temple and chill in its peaceful atmosphere, especially when the entry is FREE?

Saishōin Temple’s Access Information and Opening Hours

  • To get to the temple, take a bus and get off at Honchō (本町). The temple is then around an 8-minute walk
  • If you are taking the regular bus, get off at Hirosaki Kōkōmae (弘前高校前)
  • The Temple is opened daily from 9 am to 4:30 pm

Click HERE to get back to a list of attractions in Hirosaki City.

Chōshoji Temple (長勝寺)

Choshoji Temple Hirosaki Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

Chōshoji Temple was originally built in 1528 and was actually relocated a few times before it settled down to where it is today (´▽`*).

This temple which has a simple yet magnificent appearance, has been listed as one of the National Important Cultural Properties. So if you have some spare time between your busy schedule, how about spending 30 minutes or so to immerse yourself in this historically rich spot?

Zenringai Street (禅林街) (33 Temples of Zen Area)

Leading to the gate of the Chōshoji Temple, at the two sides of the straight road, there are another 33 temples.

Just like the name of this road (or street), this area of Hirosaki is surrounded by a calming, zen-like atmosphere. Taking a little pilgrimage among these temples can be a great idea if you love visiting all the temples in Japan (*´ω`).

Zenringai Hirosaki Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

Chōshoji Temple’s Access Information and Opening Hours

  • The temple is open from 9 am to 4 pm daily from April to November.
  • Bus services stopping close to Chōshoji Temple depart from Hirosaki Bus Terminal (弘前バスタミナール) in front of JR Hirosaki Station for 300 yen.
  • Regular bus services bound for Nishimeyamura Yakuba or Soma depart from bus stop no. 7 from Hirosaki Bus Terminal. Please get off at Shigemori Machi (茂森町). The Temple is a 10-minute walk away from the bus stop.
  • For more details, please refer to Hirosaki Tourism And Convention Bureau’s website HERE!
    • P.S. The bus will also bring you to Hirosaki Apple Park.

Click HERE to get back to a list of attractions in Hirosaki City.

Hirosaki Apple Park (弘前市りんご公園)

When the Japanese think about Aomori, apples are probably one of the first things that will pop up in their mind. Hirosaki harvests the most apples in the country. So naturally, it has several orchards dedicated to tourists.

The most accessible orchard in Hirosaki is the Hirosaki Apple Park. In the park, there are around 80 different types of apple trees and approximately 2300 apple trees growing apples for us to eat!

Hirosaki Apple Park And Mt. Iwaki Hirosaki Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture
Hirosaki Apple Park Apple Picking Hirosaki Aomori Japan
Ⓒ Aomori Prefecture

At Hirosaki Apple Park, not only can you do apple picking, but there is a range of experiences and festivals/events that you can participate in throughout the year!

For more details, please refer to our article about the Apple Park HERE (=゚ω゚)ノ.

Click HERE to get back to a list of attractions in Hirosaki city

Proceeding Further to the Summit of Mt. Iwaki for a Spetectular View

If you love exploring nature, Mt. Iwaki, which is located around a 60-minute bus ride from Hirosaki’s city center, is the perfect destination to stop by when you visit Hirosaki. Although it is 1,625-meter tall, getting to the summit isn’t a hard thing to do!

For more information on how to get to the top of Mt. Iwaki without too much effort, refer to our article on Mt. Iwaki (=゚ω゚)ノ.

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Click the photo for more information about Mt. Iwaki!

Explore the Capital of Aomori Prefecture: Aomori City

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Click the photo for attractions in Aomori City!

Aomori City, the capital of Aomori Prefecture, has a wealth of beautiful nature, such as the Hakkōda mountain ranges and Mutsu Bay. Stunning scenery can be adorned throughout the year. In fall, it is the time to find out your favorite kinds of apples!

The city also has a couple of cultural heritages for you to enjoy a different side of Japanese culture.

For more information, please refer to our article on Aomori!

An Excursion with the Joyful Train – Resort Shirakami

Especially if you are a Japanese railroad fan, you really want to be onboard Resort Shirakami once in your life!

Coming with 3 different designs, this joyful train runs between Aomori (青森) and Akita (秋田) prefectures on the Tsugaru Plain (津軽平野). It is reputed for its beautiful scenery along the railway line! Sightseeing such as walking around and seeing the scenery nearby is also good. Seeing the beautiful scenery changing from the train window is also a great idea.

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Click the photo to find out more about Resort Shirakami!

For more information about this stunning train line, check out our article on Resort Shirakami!

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