Hirosaki Cherry blossom festival

The Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival is one of Japan’s most iconic and beautiful springtime events. It takes place annually at Hirosaki Park in Aomori Prefecture, typically from late April to early May. Around that time, the cherry blossoms in Tokyo or the southern regions have already finished blooming, but in the north, it’s just the right time! Hirosaki Park is home to around 2,600 cherry trees, some of which are over 100 years old, creating a spectacular display of sakura (cherry blossoms) in full bloom. We went there at the end of the season, and many petals had fallen, turning the moat around the castle into a carpet of flowers (also known as petal rafts). It was so beautiful. Hirosaki is easily accessible by bullet train from Tokyo, with a travel time of around 4 hours, making it doable as a day trip. But if you have more time, I recommend spending another day to explore Aomori Prefecture. The key features of the festival include the blooming trees, the sakura tunnel, and Hirosaki Castle. We found a nice spot under the blooming trees and enjoyed a real hanami experience (eating and watching the cherry blossoms), just like the locals do. #festivaljoy