Hirosaki Castle Sakura Festival (Cherry Blossom)

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Hirosaki Castle boasts its abundance of over 2500 trees, cherry blossom tunnels, petal filled moats, and many varieties of cherry trees. In addition, numerous pleasant picnic areas, rental rowing boats, and illuminations in the evenings make this a scenic Japanese tourist spot. The average sakura opening starts about April 24 and full bloom usually occurs around April 30.

The cherry blossom (sakura) is Japan's unofficial national flower. It has been celebrated for many centuries and holds a very prominent position in Japanese culture. In fact, it is the flower on the 100 Yen coin.

There are many dozens of different cherry tree varieties in Japan, most of which bloom for just a couple of days in spring. The Japanese celebrate that time of the year with hanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties under the blooming trees.

The most important factor in determining the blooming time of cherry trees is the geographical location. Basically, the milder the climate, the earlier the blossoms open. In most major cities in between, the cherry blossom season typically takes place in early April. Furthermore, the blooming time of cherry trees differs from year to year depending on the weather. If the weather during the months and weeks proceeding the sakura season is mild, blossoms will open early. If it is cold, blossoms will open later. From year to year, the start of the blooming season can vary by as much as two weeks.

Sakura season is relatively short. Full bloom (mankai) is usually reached within about one week after the opening of the first blossoms (kaika). Another week later, the blooming peak is over and the blossoms are falling from the trees. Strong wind and rain can cut the blooming season even shorter.

Artist Vendor

Deatailed work

Finished product

With my children

Husband being silly

Japanese tourists

Oba-chan onlookers

Photo cut outs

The word swastika came from the Sanskrit word svastika, meaning any lucky or auspicious object, and in particular a mark made on persons and things to denote good luck. Japanese maps use the swastika symbol to denote a Buddhist temple. Hirosaki City uses this symbol as official emblem.

Unassuming police officer taking a break

Black sesame mochi ... an acquired taste

Definitely more mochi varieties than one can imagine at the festival

Steamed seafood

Bean or custard pancakes

Takoyaki baby octopi style

Takoyaki = Octopus balls (not the gonad balls)

Driving directions to Hirosaki Castle are posted on my blog from March 8, 2011

http://traveling-tengco.blogspot.com/search/label/Hirosaki%20Castle

Hirosaki Lantern Festival

http://www.hirosaki.co.jp/htcb/sightseeing/fes/yukimatsuri.html

Hirosaki’s winter festival is shorter in duration than the two other local festivals. It lasts only four days (usually the second weekend of February), February 10-13, 2011, and features about 150 snow lanterns in various sizes on the premises of Hirosaki Castle grounds. At sunset (approximately 16:30), the sculptures light up.

Directions to Hirosaki from Misawa Air Force Base

http://traveling-tengco.blogspot.com/2010/08/aomori-city-maps.html

Follow driving directions numbers 1 - 11 from my Aug 2010 blog: Aomori City Directions and Maps.

Exit the Michinoku Toll Road and turn left
Turn left onto the Aomori Expressway
Drive through Aomori City
Take your ticket at the Aomori-chuo Toll Gate and continue driving
Take exit 52 toward Route 102 Hirosaki

Pay ¥750 and veer toward the left at the Y-intersection

Follow the signs to Hirosaki Castle

Nakasan Department Store

http://www.nakasan-dept.com/hirosaki/floor/index.php

Nakasan Depaarto is a nice little diversion en route to Hirosaki Castle, but is not worth going out of your way for. There are small ramen, Chinese, and coffee shops on the basement floor. The top floor has a yakuniku restaurant. This department store does not cater to English speakers. Make sure to bring a handy Japanese-English pharse book if you do not speak basic/traveler's Japanese.

From Route 102, Turn right onto Route 3

This is the going in the same direction toward Hirosaki Castle
Turn right into the parking garage (which does not connect to the department store)

The dome shaped building is part of Nakasan Department Store

Winter Festivals

Next week marks the opening of the 62^nd Annual Sapporo Snow Festival. I highly recommend that anyone who has the chance to see it, go while they are stationed in Misawa. It is truly one of those events that is incomparable to anywhere else in the world.

The Sapporo Yuki Matsuri lasts one week. More information can be found on the official web site. http://www.snowfes.com/english/

For those unable to attend THE snow festival, there are a few winter festivals within driving distance from Misawa. More information may be obtained from the official (Japanese-only) websites – using Google translator should be sufficient.

Lake Towada Snow Festival

http://www.towadakofuyumonogatari.com/main.html

The closest snow festival occurs in Towada Lake City. This year’s name is Snow and Light Fantavista and lasts from February 4-27. If my Google translator is working correctly, the official website announces fireworks at 20:00 each night of the festival. Other evening events include shamisen performances, haneto dancers, karaoke contest, and illuminated snow structures. While it appears most events happen on the weekend and start upon night fall, there is a large snow slide for children to enjoy (¥100 per hour sled rental fee).

Hirosaki Castle Lantern Festival

http://www.hirosaki.co.jp/htcb/sightseeing/fes/yukimatsuri.html

Hirosaki’s winter festival is shorter in duration than the two other local festivals. It lasts only four days, from February 10-13, and features about 150 snow lanterns in various sizes on the premises of Hirosaki Castle grounds. At sunset (approximately 16:30), the sculptures are light up.

Koiwai Farms Snow Festival

http://www.koiwai.co.jp/makiba/yuki44/index.html

Koiwai Farms is located in Shizukuishi Town, just outside Morioka City in Iwate Prefecture.Located at the base of Mt. Iwate, Koiwai Farms is a private 7400 acre ranch noted for its dairy products that attracts about 750,000 visitors annually. The Iwate Snow Festival opens daily between 09:00-21:00 from February 5-13.

Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum Festival

Sunday, October 24

I didn’t read much about the chrysanthemum festival or Hirsoaki Castle before going there. My prior knowledge of chrysanthemums came from one of my university Spanish classes where I learned that in Mexico chrysanthemums are the flowers of death and only used in funerals. From what I’ve read, Hirosaki Castle is primarily known for and attracts over a million visitors during Golden Week for its cherry blossoms. After viewing a few photos on-line, I thought it would be worthy to see some of the chrysanthemum sculptures.

Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum Festival takes place at the end of October and beginning of November. In 2010, it lasted from October 23 until November 7 in the Botanical Garden section of Hirosaki Park. Adult admission to the festival is ¥300. A separate fee of ¥200 is charge for viewing the castle area. Upon paying for tickets, the clerk handed us a stamp quest map of the botanical garden. After searching for and receiving stamps at each of the five locations, we resubmitted our map and were awarded with souvenir stickers denoting the Castle’s 400 year anniversary.

Our family decided to visit the festival on its opening weekend. To our surprise, it was not crowded. Unfortunately, not all the chrysanthemums had bloomed so some of the sculptures appeared more like shrubs or potted plants. Although much of the terrain is paved with small rocks, it is accessible for strollers. Food stalls located between the Inner East Gate and East Gate entrance sold typical matsuri food, snacks, and toys.

Chrysanthemums were first cultivated in China as far back as the 15^th century BCE and were introduced to Japan by way of Korea in around the fourth century BCE. In 910 CE, the Japanese emperor adopted it as his official seal - a golden flower with 16 petals radiating from the center like flames from the sun.

In that same year, the imperial court held its first chrysanthemum show. Subsequently, it adopted National Chrysanthemum Day (September 9), which is called the Festival of Happiness. Japanese regard chrysanthemum as their solar flower and it symbolizes national pride, obedience, long life, and happiness.

Chrysanthemum petals are edible. Chinese make tea out of them which is supposedly good for flu. Petals can also be added to cream soups and salads.

Panda sculptures

Dinosaur sculptures

Choshoji Temple sculpture

Bonsai tree exhibit in botanical garden rest house

Autumn foliage

Sugi-no Ohashi Bridge near the Inner South Gate

Hirosaki Castle Tower

Koi pond in Recreation Square

Hirosaki Castle Visitors' Info

Map of Hirosaki Castle compound