Mel's Adventures in Japan: Apr 30, 2015

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Nameko's Hanami Adventures, Part 1 - Hirosaki

In Japan, the start of spring is marked by cherry blossom trees in full bloom. People young and old gather to picnic, drink and frolic under the cherry blossoms. Such cherry blossom viewing parties are known as hanami (花見 literally "flower viewing").

The blooming period for cherry blossoms is very short (just a little over one week from when the flowers are almost in full bloom until they start falling off the trees) so it can be difficult to hit the sweet spot of a weekend with good weather and nice looking cherry blossoms, but this year the timing was perfect.

So Nameko decided to spend the weekend of April 25-26 enjoying hanami !

One of Japan's top cherry blossom viewing spots is in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture: Hirosaki Castle Park. There are over 2500 trees in the park, including a "Sakura Tunnel" that is particular impressive at night when illuminated by large free-standing lanterns during the Cherry Blossom Festival (さくらまつり sakura matsuri).

Hirosaki Castle Park Sakura Tunnel by Day

Hirosaki Castle Park Cherry Blossom Festival Sakura Tunnel by Night　弘前公園　さくらまつり　夜の桜トンネル

Hirosaki Castle Park Sakura Tunnel by Night

Hirosaki Castle (a 3-storey castle tower reconstructed in 1810 after the original 5-storey was struck by lightning burnt down in 1627). The stone walls under/around the castle building are undergoing repairs so this year is the last year where the castle will be visible from the red bridge. The moat surrounding the castle was drained and prepared for construction starting in Autumn 2014, so this year's Cherry Blossom Festival was the first time the moat area was open to the public to walk around in!

Not wanting to miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime chance to walk around the moat (and the last chance for about 10 years to see the castle in its original position), Nameko spent the first day of the weekend, Saturday, April 25 in Hirosaki Castle Park.

He entered the park from the northwest, crossing a lovely green bridge, Ichoubashi. The outer moat was filled with sakura petals and simply gorgeous.

Hirosaki Castle Park Ichoubashi

Once inside the park, Nameko made his way through the crowds and past many delicious looking food stands until he eventually was able to enter the inner moat for a previously impossible view of the castle.

Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival Food Stalls 弘前さくらまつり　屋台

Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival Food Stalls and Crowds

View of Hirosaki Castle from the Inner Moat

After the inner moat, Nameko made his way to Honmaru (paid area of the park) for more cherry blossom trees and a great view of Mount Iwaki. It was a hot day so he stopped to get some 100% apple juice from a vending machine along the way.

Hirosaki Castle Park Honmaru (paid area)

Apple Juice from Vending Machine in Hirosaki Castle Park Honmaru (paid area)

View of Mount Iwaki from Hirosaki Castle Park Honmaru (paid area)

Before leaving the paid area, Nameko ran into Takamaru-Kun, Hirosaki City's cool but also cute falcon/hawk mascot character! After that he went for a walk through the Sakura Tunnel, stopping to take pictures of the many people taking rental row boats out on the West Moat.

Hirosaki Mascot Takamaru-Kun

Hirosaki Castle Park West Moat

After all the walking, Nameko needed a break. So he headed to some food stalls for a steamed bun filled with sakura-flavoured bean paste, and Hirosaki Park's famous "Jumbo Konnyaku".

Sakura Man Steamed Bun

Jumbo Konnyaku

Later in the afternoon it got rather chilly, so Nameko headed into town (stopping for more pictures of the outer moat) for a break at a cafe, Mother Leaf Tea & Waffle located along the central Hirosaki shopping arcade, Dotemachi.