Partners Information: Hirosaki Park in Aomori Prefecture is known for being the home of Hirosaki Castle but is also famous for its cherry blossoms, some of which are over 300 years old.
The park is home to around 2,600 sakura trees including over 50 different varieties including the common Somei-yoshino variety as well as shidarezakura (weeping sakura) and yaezakura (double-layer sakura).
The sakura trees at the park are also renowned for the number of blooms they produce due to a special pruning technique adopted from apple tree pruning (Aomori is a major producer of apples in Japan).
Each year, the park hosts the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival from around 23 April to 5 May. During this time there are many special events and activities including night-time illuminations, boat rentals or boat rides in the castle’s moats and numerous food stalls.
