#Tourism
#Convention
Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival
Video Production : NTT EAST
Hirosaki Park is home to approximately 2,600 cherry blossoms trees across 52 varieties, led by the iconic Somei Yoshino. Unlike typical cherries, Hirosaki’s century-old trees produce unusually lush clusters of 4 to 5 blossoms per bud. This creates a floral canopy so dense it completely hides the sky—a masterpiece born from world-class horticultural care.
Please enjoy the cherry blossom highlights related to the number seven, such as the "Seven Scenes of Hirosaki Cherry Blossoms" recommended by the park's tree doctors, the "Seven Selected Double-Layered Cherries," and the "Hirosaki Seven-Bud Clusters" where seven flowers bloom from a single bud.
Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival Information
Hirosaki Castle Tower: Relocation and Temporary Closure
Hirosaki Castle Keep is scheduled to be moved back to its original position (Hikiya) starting in July 2026—the first time in 11 years—and is expected to return to its stone foundation by mid-November 2026.
Following the move, the tower will undergo seismic retrofitting and preservation work. Once the current season ends on November 23, preparations for the relocation will begin, and the interior of the castle tower will remain closed to the public for several years.
Date
April 17 (Fri) - May 5 (Tue), 2026
Place
Hirosaki Park
・Take a Dotemachi Loop Bus Get off at Shiyakusho-mae (In front of City Hall)
・HIROSAKI Free Wi-Fi
Paid Area & Hours
■Honmaru / 9:00 am ~ 9:00 pm
■Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden / 9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm
(You can purchase a ticket by 4:30 pm)
Fee
■Honmaru / Adult 320-yen, Children 100-yen
(Group : Adult 250-yen, Children 80-yen)
■Hirosaki Castle Botancial Garden / Adult 320-yen, Children 100-yen
(Group : Adult 250-yen, Children 80-yen)
■Combined Ticket / Adult 520-yen, Children 160-yen
(Group : Adult 470-yen, Children 130-yen)
(Honmaru-kita-no-kuruwa, Hirosaki Castle Botancial Garden, Fujita Memorial Garden)
※Special rates are available for groups of ten or more people.
Estimated walking time
2 hours for a full loop
Convenient Places to Stay
HIROSAKI RYOKAN HOTEL ASSOCIATION
Special Illumination
The trees will be illuminated at night.
■After sunset ~ 10:00 pm (Time is subject to change.)
The content below is from last year.
Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival English Venue Map(PDF available)
2025 Edition
2025 Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival English Venue Map (PDF) 2.98MKB
Google My Map
Stalls：(about) 200 stalls
Date
April 17 (Fri) - May 5 (Tue), 2026
Time
9:00 am ~ 9:00 pm
Experience content
Naka-bori (Central Moat) Boat Ride with staff
Date, Time, Approximate time
■Date : 4/17 ~ 5/5
■Time : 9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm (last time ~4:30 pm)
About 20 mins.
Fee
Adult 1,500-yen, junior high school students, high school students 1,000-yen, elementary school students 500-yen
※The infant is free with each fare-paying adult.
Place, Course
Near stone bridge at Inner East Gate (Higashi Uchimon)
The dock ~ Tatsu Mi Turret ~ Sugi no Ohashi Bridge ~ Return to the dock
Capacity
20 person (+1 staff)
※A child or an infant will be counted as 1 person.
Detils
Naka-bori Boat(Japanese)
Yozakura-Bune
Night Cherry Blossom Boat Tour
Enjoy a magical boat ride along the inner moat, beautifully illuminated for the night cherry blossoms.
| Period | April 18, 2026 (Sat) - April 26, 2026 (Sun) (The event period may be extended depending on the cherry blossom blooming status.) |
|---|---|
| Schedule | (1)18:15 (2)18:30 (3)18:45 (4)19:00 (5)19:15 (6)19:30 *(1)18:15 will be a Twilight Cruise. [Reference] Sunset: Around 6:20 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. |
| Duration | Approximately 25 minutes |
| Capacity | 16名 |
| Fee | 2,000- Yen(tax included) Free for preschool children (Limit: one free child per adult) |
| Sale Starts | March 2 (Mon) from 10 a.m. |
| How to sell | JTB BOKUN (Advance Reservation Required) |
Nishi-bori (West Moat) Boat Rental
Date, Time
■Date : April 17 (Fri) - May 5 (Tue), 2026
■Time : 9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm
Fee
1,500-yen / 60 minutes / 1 boat
Capacity
3 person
※A child or an infant will be counted as 1 person.
Rule
・You need to wear life jacket.
・Alcohol will not be permitted on the boat.
・DO NOT risky behavior on the boat.
Matcha Tea Service (Fee applies)
Date, Time
■Date : April 17 (Fri) - May 5 (Tue), 2026
■Time : 9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm (lo 4:30 pm)
Fee
1,000-yen / Matcha tea + Red bean snack
Hirosaki Park Rickshaw
Date, Time
■Date : April 18 - November 5 , 2025
■Time : 9:00 am ~ 4:00 pm
Fee, Capacity
■Fee : 3,000-yen (1 person), 4,000-yen (2 person)
■Capacity : 2 person
※A child or an infant will be counted as 1 person.
"Sakura Miku" x "Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival" collaboration
The Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival features a special collaboration with "Sakura Miku," a cherry blossom-themed version of the famous Japanese virtual singer, Hatsune Miku.
To learn more about Sakura Miku, please visit the page below.
HIROSAKI × SAKURA MIKU
Guided tour
EXPRESS GUIDED TOUR
Wondering how to maximise your time at Hirosaki Park and make it even more fun and memorable?
Look no further! Let our international team of festival ambassadors bring you on this curated express tour to the most Instagrammable spots and uncover the secrets to the longevity of cherry blossom trees in Hirosaki. By the end of the tour, find out how to get your hands on a unique souvenir, highly coveted by those in the know!
Plus, you’ll get to indulge in a freshly baked apple pie from a famous local bakery, paired with refreshing Aomori apple juice.
Date
Available daily from April 18 to May 5
Duration and timings
45 minutes English tours (all group tours will start promptly, so please arrive at least 10 minutes earlier for registration)
9am to 3pm [ Tours departing at : 10:30am, 12pm, 1.30pm, 3pm ]
Starting point
Hirosaki Park East Gate (Higashi mon)
Nearest bus stop : "Bunka centre mae" ( in front of NHK Cultural Centre ) via Dotemachi loop bus from Hirosaki Station.
[ Note : Severe traffic congestion is expected during the festival, so please take note if you are travelling by bus or vehicle]
Fee
5,000 yen per person, CASH only (excludes entrance fees for Hirosaki Castle and other paid areas)
Minimum 2 persons per booking. Maximum 10 persons per session.
Latecomers will have to join the next tour timing subject to availability, so please arrive early to avoid disappointment.
For English tour bookings, please email us at hirosakiguide@gmail.com at least 2 days in advance or earlier.
All reservations secured with online advance payments are non-refundable once your payment is completed upon booking.
All tours by reservation only. Walk-ins are unavailable.
Tours in other languages are subject to the staff on duty for the day.
NIGHT SAKURA "KANPAI" TOUR
Join us on this specially curated night tour to discover the beauty of the unique cherry blossoms at Hirosaki Park on this relaxing evening stroll with us. Breeze through the crowds and check out some of the most picturesque spots within the park while basking in the magical glow of illuminated cherry blossoms. Let’s raise a toast to their splendid beauty in front of Hirosaki Castle! KANPAI !
[ Tour exclusive : This route includes the highly coveted "cherry blossom heart" hidden spot, one of the most scenic bridges, plus a freshly baked apple pie from a famous local shop, local apple juice, and a special souvenir. ]
Date
Available daily from April 18 to May 5
Duration and timings
75 minutes English tours (all group tours will start promptly, so please arrive at least 10 minutes earlier for registration)
A) 5:00 ~ 6.15pm
B) 7:00 ~ 8:15pm
Starting point
Hirosaki Park East Gate (Higashi mon)
Nearest bus stop : "Bunka centre mae" ( in front of NHK Cultural Centre ) via Dotemachi loop bus from Hirosaki Station.
[ Note : Severe traffic congestion is expected during the festival, so please take note if you are travelling by bus or vehicle]
Fee
7,000 yen per person*, CASH only (excludes entrance fees for Hirosaki Castle and other paid areas)
Minimum 2 persons per booking. Maximum 10 persons per session.
Latecomers will have to join the next tour timing subject to availability, so please arrive early to avoid disappointment.
* For night tours, each person will be entitled to a goodie bag (only while stocks last).
For English tour bookings, please email us at hirosakiguide@gmail.com at least 2 days in advance or earlier.
All reservations secured with online advance payments are non-refundable once your payment is completed upon booking.
All tours by reservation only, walk-ins are unavailable.
Tours in other languages are subject to the staff on duty for the day.
Guide Request
Travel Necessities
Request a private guide here!!
Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Information
Latest information(Japanese only)
Last few years
| 【Somei Yoshino (Yoshino Cherry)】 | 【Yae-beni Shirare (Weeping Cherry)】 | |||
| ■Start to bloom | ■Peak Bloom | ■Start to bloom | ■Peak Bloom | |
| 2025 | 4.18 | 4.23~4.27 | 4.21 | 4.27~5.4 |
| 2024 | 4.14 | 4.19~4.22 | 4.15 | 4.22~4.28 |
| 2023 | 4.7 | 4.13~4.15 | 4.13 | 4.19~4.25 |
| 2022 | 4.14 | 4.21~4.22 | 4.19 | 4.24~4.28 |
| 2021 | 4.14 | 4.18~4.21 | 4.18 | 4.23~4.29 |
| 2020 | 4.19 | 4.27~30 | 4.25 | 5.2~5.7 |
| 2019 | 4.20 | 4.23~4.26 | 4.23 | 4.28~5.4 |
| 2018 | 4.20 | 4.23~4.26 | 4.22 | 4.28~5.2 |
| 2017 | 4.18 | 4.25~4.28 | 4.24 | 4.29~5.5 |
| 2016 | 4.18 | 4.23~4.26 | 4.22 | 4.26~5.2 |
Access
CYCLE NET HIROSAKI (RENTAL BICYCLE)
Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival (4/18 ~ 5/6), you can rental a bicycle below stations.
CYCLE NET HIROSAKI Click here!
Odate-Noshiro Airport / Airport Shuttle Service
For those planning a trip to Hirosaki
Odate-Noshiro Airport Hirosaki Park Airport Shuttle Service
Day trips and one-way trips available
Estimated time 80min
One-way fare per person 3,300yen(tax included)
Spring 4/17(Fri) - 5/6(Wed)
LINK
＞Odate-Noshiro Airport / Airport Shuttle Service
Lodging / Accommodations
Hotel Ryokan Information
HIROSAKI RYOKAN HOTEL ASSOCIATION
A city full of human warmth, festivals in all seasons and a townscape with both, Western and Japanese elements: Hirosaki.
When you come to enjoy Hirosaki City in Aomori Prefecture, please try one of the member accommodations of our association.
We will try our best to provide an ‘azumashii, omotenashi’ stay for you.
(“azumashii” is a local dialect for relaxing, ”omotenashi” is Japanese hospitality)
Welcome To Hirosaki - Hirosaki Ryokan Hotel Association
Temple Stay
Temple stay at Kongozan Komyoji Saishoin Temple in Hirosaki City Aomori Prefecture
Limited to 1 group per day (2 to 3 people), the site is closed from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. the next morning, the spatial landscape of the precincts is monopolized, and eating and drinking in the precincts is also possible (fire is strictly prohibited). The lodging building has a private entrance and is a completely private space.
Movie
2023. Hirosaki Park Cherry Blossoms
2020. Hirosaki Park Cherry Blossoms
Sakura Miku × Hirosaki Cherry Blossoms
Sakura Miku was adopted as an official supporting character for “Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival”, which in 2020 was slated to be the 100th festival held.
Although the event was unfortunately cancelled this year, we have made a video combining the photos and videos of the cherry blossoms that were taken this season along with the illustrations that we collected via the Piapro Collab “Sakura Miku × Hirosaki Cherry Blossoms”.
The background music is the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom support song called “101st Sakura” sung by Hatsune Miku.
The Most Beautiful Cherry Blossom in Japan
Movies were taken by Marugoto Aomori (Aomori.Pref). (2020)
Airborne Video of Cherry Blossoms
Taken in Hirosaki Park (2016)
【provided by DJI】
~HANAIKADA Timelapse~
Year：taken on 2016
Place：Outer Moat of Hirosaki Park
Cherry Blossom Tunnel
Place：West Moat of Hirosaki Park
Michinoku Sandai Sakura Meisho
About the top 3 cherry blossom locations in the Michinoku region!
Michinoku’s Top 3 Cherry Blossom Attractions
The three great cherry blossom attractions of Michinoku include:
1. Hirosaki Park in Hirosaki Aomori Pref,
2. Kakunodate in Senboku Akita Pref.
3. Tenshochi park in Kitakami Iwate Pref.
Year：taken on 2018
Michinoku Sandai Sakura Meisho
【Details】Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival
Last update:March 12, 2026