Japan Guide
Northern Honshū
Hirosaki-kōen
Ōte-mon, the main entrance to Hirosaki-kōen, lies across the road from the Sightseeing Centre. It takes ten minutes to walk from this gate, zigzagging between moats and walls, to reach the inner keep of Hirosaki-jō, where a tiny, three-storey tower (April to mid-Nov daily 9am–5pm; ¥300) guards the southern approach. There's nothing left of the original castle, constructed by the Tsugaru lords in 1611, but the tower was rebuilt in 1810 using traditional techniques and now houses a collection of armour and swords. In late April the little white turret, floodlit and framed in pink blossom, is the focus of a cherry-blossom festival (April 23– May 5), as the park's five thousand trees signal the end of the harsh northern winter.