Hirosaki Castle cherry blossom

What it is

Hirosaki lies in Aomori, in the north of Japan's main island, so its cherry blossom comes late, from about the last week of April into early May. The park around the old castle holds thousands of trees of many varieties, including some very old ones that are carefully pruned in a way borrowed from the region's apple growers. This gives unusually dense clusters of flowers. As the blossom ends, petals cover the surface of the castle moats so thickly that the water disappears. The Japanese call this a flower raft. There are rowing boats, evening lights and a tunnel of trees along the outer moat.

Before you go

• The petal-covered moats come at the very end of the season, a few days after full bloom.
• Stay for the evening illumination.
• Rooms in Hirosaki fill quickly. Aomori city is a workable base by train.

The flowers you will see

Cherry blossomThe spring-blooming flower of ornamental cherry trees, central to Japan’s hanami custom

Also part of it, and being written: Prunus × yedoensis.

More in Japan

🇯🇵 Tokyo · Mar to AprCherry blossom season in TokyoAbout a week of pale pink along moats, rivers and parks, and the picnics that go with it. 🇯🇵 Tokyo · Feb to NovShinjuku Gyoen through the seasonsA large former imperial garden in central Tokyo with a long cherry season and an autumn chrysanthemum show. 🇯🇵 Kyoto · Mar to AprPhilosopher's Path in cherry seasonA canal-side walk of about two kilometres in eastern Kyoto, lined with cherry trees. 🇯🇵 Hitachinaka · Apr to OctNemophila hill at Hitachi Seaside ParkA hill by the Pacific covered in small sky-blue flowers in spring and red kochia bushes in autumn. 🇯🇵 Ashikaga · Apr to MayWisteria at Ashikaga Flower ParkVast old wisteria vines trained over trellises, with flower trails hanging to head height. 🇯🇵 Furano · Jun to AugLavender fields of FuranoHillside lavender farms in central Hokkaido, at their purple best in July.