It is a recommended sightseeing spot in . It introduces a part of a lot of viewpoints that are. Neputa Village (津軽藩ねぷた村) This museum is located at the northeast corner of Park. It takes about 15 Hirosaki, a former castle town, is located in the minutes to walk here from the Hirosaki Municipal Tourist Center. southwestern part of Prefecture, and has played a The facility was constructed out major role in the economic and political life of the region Hirosaki Castle of a traditional warehouse 弘前城 complex. There are huge Neputa since Hirosaki Castle was built in the 17th century. Hirosaki ( ) Hirosaki Castle is a symbol of the floats, classic floats and Tsugaru Castle is a major landmark of the city. Hirosaki is also city, and it has a long history. The kites. You can try your hand at making traditional local crafts in famous for the Festival that is held in the first of the Tsugaru feudal lords established his rule over the the workshop. The souvenir shop park that now covers the former castle site. In addition, Tsugaru area in the early 17th is well stocked with many products of interest for visitors. there are several historical Japanese and European-style century. The second lord, Tsugaru Local musicians Nobuhira, completed the castle in 1611. buildings. also offer live Remaining on the grounds are a castle tower, three performances of turrets, five gates, and three systems. The Tsugaru Hirosaki has many seasonal festivals: the Cherry Blossom Festival in spring, the Neputa Hirosaki Castle site is now a 49 ha park area known as Shamisen Hirosaki Castle Park. The park is a popular destination Festival in summer, the Chrysanthemum and Maple Leaf Festival in autumn, the Snow (3-stringed for local residents and out-of-town visitors alike. instrument). Lantern Festival in winter. Many people come to Hirosaki to watch and to participate in these festivals. Five-Storied Pagoda Hirosaki is also home to many apple growers and is known as“an apple-colored Hirosaki Apple Park (弘前市りんご公園) (最勝院 五重塔) town” in appreciation of the important role apples play in local life. Hirosaki is a This pagoda is located to the Hirosaki is the center of apple city you shouldn’t miss. southeast of the Castle site. production in . Apple Park is It was built to provide located near Mt. Iwaki, and if it is Hirosaki is a city located in in the Tohoku region of Japan. It lies at latitude repose for the dead and was clear you can get a spectacular completed in 1667 after 10 40°north and longitude 140°east. Its estimated populatoin in 2007 was 186,023, with a density of 362 view of it. This park features years of construction. It is 1,000 trees and 60 varieties of persons per km2. The total area is 523.60 km2. The city has clear seasonal differences. The average 31.2 meters high. apples. You can learn about apple temperature during the Cherry Blossom Festival in early May is 20 degrees (Celsius) in the afternoon cultivation, marketing and and 10 degrees in the evening. You should therefore bring a cardigan or a jacket. The climate during nutrition as well as the history of apple production. the summer season, compared to other parts of Japan, is mild and pleasant. During the Neputa Throughout the year there are Yoshino-cho park Festival, you would normally be very comfortable in a t-shirt and short-pants. However, by the various events to enjoy, and (吉野町緑地) beginning of the Autumn Festival, it will be getting colder, and you will need a jacket. During the it has The memorial dog for the winter, something to Yoshitomo Nara + graf A to Z offer to every Hirosaki usually gets less snow than Aomori City. However, be prepared for lots of exhibition in 2006 appeared member of in front of the Brick snow around the the time of the Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival. the family! Brewhouse!!

Spring S ◆Access 弘前さくらまつり 弘前ねぷたまつり ummer

Airplane

Train

The former castle site is home to around 2,600 The night sky is ablaze as the procession of ornamental cherry trees, which are famous vividly decorated floats winds through the throughout Japan. The best known variety is streets and the air thunders with the poundings Train somei-yoshino. When the cherry trees are in full of the drums. The city comes alive, awakened blossom the park is indescribably beautiful, from the summer doldrums by the emotion and (Shinkansen) especially at night when the castle site buildings excitement of the Neputa Festival. and trees are illuminated. [By Air] Autumn Tokyo 1hour 15minutes 弘前城菊と紅葉まつり 弘前城雪燈籠まつり Winter (Haneda) [By Train(Oou Line:from Aomori or Akita)] Nagoya 1hour 20minutes Bus (chubu) Aomori 55minutes Limited Express: Airport Hirosaki 29-41minutes Osaka 1hour 30minutes Aomori (Itami) Hirosaki Limited Express: 2hours Sapporo 45minutes Akita (Chitose) The castle grounds seethe with emotion as the The Hirosaki Castle Park site offers beautiful [By Train(from Tokyo)] brilliant autumn hues of 1,000 maple trees play off winter scenes that elicit a myriad of poetic winter Limited Express the deep green of the pines. You are also struck by visions. During the festival, 50 or so snow lanterns Hayate(Shinkansen) Train Tsugaru: the sharp scents of the chrysanthemums that and about 300 snow statues beckon visitors into Tokyo 3hours 1hour30minutes Hirosaki adorn the dolls in the festival pavilions. this fantasy winter world.

◆Tourist Board Information Centre（観光案内所） Kogin Embroidery Municipal sightseeing in Hirosaki City Tourist Machinaka clearing house rts ＆ Products Hirosaki pavilion Board Information Centre (まちなか情報センター) A Embroidery was one of the tasks of （弘前市立観光館） (弘前市観光案内所 JR 弘前駅) women during the long winter months. The women of poor farm families mended and reinforced the fabric of

family members’ work clothes by Tsugaru stitching in cotton thread in geometric Lacquerware patterns. Lately, this method of embroidery is used for such items as 2-1Shimo-Shirogane-town The Tsugaru Tsugaru jamisen business card holders, wall hangings, Hirosaki City Aomori 1-1Omote-town Hirosaki City 94-1Dote-town Hirosaki City region is known for The Tsugaru-jamisen is a and table centers. 036-8588 Japan Aomori 036-8096 Japan Aomori 036-8182 Japan traditional three-stringed its lacquerware. It Tel:(81)172-26-3600 Tel:(81)172-31-5160 is considered one of Apples Tel:(81)172-37-5501 instrument that is characterized Fax:(81)172-35-3132 Fax(81)172-26-3601 Fax:(81)172-31-5161 by a thicker neck than that found the most elegant The production of the apple in Hirosaki on samisen in other parts of lacquerware styles City is a top of Japan by about 160,000t a Japan. Born of the harsh Tsugaru in Japan. year. About 3.12 million 2-1 Shimo-Shirogane-cho Hirosaki City Aomori 036-8588 Japan climate and the warmth of the apple tree is planted in ：（ ） local people, this 100-year-old folk the city, and the person TEL 81 172-37-5501 tradition now enjoys renown as in about 6,000 households FAX：(81) 172-35-3132 one of the representative folk is making the apple. E-mail：[email protected] music styles of Japan. URL：http://www.hirosaki.co.jp/htcb/foreign/english/index.html