Hirosaki Park
Hirosaki Park
4.5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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1,151 within 3 miles
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See what travelers are saying
- eppikureeusSalt Lake City, Utah418 contributionsLovely Park and CastleFive friends visited in early November. Fall colors were near peak. Beautiful, very large park with very cool Hirosaki Castle, river and cherry blossoms everywhere in Spring. Very worth a visit if in the area (as we were). The entire park is a fee area.Visited November 2023Traveled with friendsWritten November 11, 2023
- fizzy1991Nashville, Tennessee5,954 contributionsLots of walking but worth it for the last day of cherry blossom festivalWe were fortunate to go on the last day of the cherry blossom festival and it was a beautiful day! Of course most of the cherry blossoms trees were past their prime but there were still enough to be beautiful. There are some wheelchairs at the Endor those who might need some extra help because there is a lot of walking involved.Visited May 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten May 4, 2024
- Rachelle LSydney, Australia66 contributionsAn oasis in the height of summerWent in the height of summer and it was hot. However there were plenty of spots to sit down in the shade and appreciate all the flowers and foliage blooming in the park. Beware there is a lot of walking involved however due to the sheer size of the place it isn't crowded. Due to this it is a very serene place to sit down and take in the view or be with your thoughts. The castle was also an interesting place to visit. Do not forget to get a commemmorative stamp at the ground floor as a souvenier of your visit!Visited July 2024Traveled with familyWritten September 22, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
580 reviews
Excellent
319
Very good
216
Average
43
Poor
2
Terrible
0
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John W
Jindabyne, Australia577 contributions
Mar 2020 • Solo
Hirosaki Park is a sad sight in winter, and early March is still winter here. The main attractions, including the botanical garden, are closed. Snow patches remain on the soggy ground and the deciduous trees are bare. The park is almost devoid of people. It will be so much nicer in a few weeks when the sakura blossoms. And sadly the work of rebuilding a section of the wall, which I saw two years ago, does not seem to have made much progress.
Two upsides: there are no crowds and you can wander freely, and there is no admission charge.
Two upsides: there are no crowds and you can wander freely, and there is no admission charge.
Written March 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
eppikureeus
Salt Lake City, UT418 contributions
Nov 2023 • Friends
Five friends visited in early November. Fall colors were near peak. Beautiful, very large park with very cool Hirosaki Castle, river and cherry blossoms everywhere in Spring. Very worth a visit if in the area (as we were). The entire park is a fee area.
Written November 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ピアイ piai
Toyama Prefecture, Japan1,644 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
It will take about an hour to explore Hirosaki Castle and the surrounding turrets, gates, moats, etc. I was really impressed that it survived in such a cold, snowy country. I went there during the autumn leaves season, but the chrysanthemum dolls were to be displayed the following week, so I was impressed by the fact that there were more inbound tourists than Japanese tourists.
Written November 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
fizzy1991
Nashville, TN5,954 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
We were fortunate to go on the last day of the cherry blossom festival and it was a beautiful day! Of course most of the cherry blossoms trees were past their prime but there were still enough to be beautiful. There are some wheelchairs at the Endor those who might need some extra help because there is a lot of walking involved.
Written May 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rachelle L
Sydney, Australia66 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
Went in the height of summer and it was hot. However there were plenty of spots to sit down in the shade and appreciate all the flowers and foliage blooming in the park. Beware there is a lot of walking involved however due to the sheer size of the place it isn't crowded. Due to this it is a very serene place to sit down and take in the view or be with your thoughts.
The castle was also an interesting place to visit. Do not forget to get a commemmorative stamp at the ground floor as a souvenier of your visit!
The castle was also an interesting place to visit. Do not forget to get a commemmorative stamp at the ground floor as a souvenier of your visit!
Written September 22, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ZaraJymes
Texas115 contributions
Apr 2017 • Friends
I would say Hirosaki Park is one of the most beautiful place to see and to experience the best views of cherry blossom festival. I have been there once and that was a remarkable time of my life and that lovable destination.
Written March 12, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
chongcp
Singapore, Singapore145 contributions
Oct 2017 • Solo
Went in hoping to see Hirosaki Castle but it was undergoing works. The park itself isn't anything really special, and there were no cherry blossoms, nor were there any autumn colours when I visited, making it a very mundane trip. Much better to get out of Hirosaki to see Mount Iwaki or the Hakkoda Mountains.
Written January 12, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sadpanda
Melbourne, Australia470 contributions
Feb 2011 • Friends
Hirosaki Park holds the Hirosaki Snow Lantern festival ever year in February (It's also in the Castle grounds within the Park). It's in my top 2 favourite Japan experiences of all time! You're reading this because you are probbaly already going to Hirosaki. I think it would be amazing at cherry blosom time or autumn too, but at snow lantern festival time it is truly spectacular! Seriously consider this time of year! And if you're at the Sapporo festival, make sure you stop off on the way South!
It is a must see and I was blown away! We were there on the 13th Feb (I think it went from 10th feb - 13th feb in 2011). I had just been to the 2011 Sapporo snow festival as well as the Otaru one, and Hirosaki was by far the best!
We got there fairly late and it was dark already. I'd go there late afternoon so you saw it all with some light and watch the sun go down. It's all about the nightime lights though, so ensure you stay there until after dark. We pretty much got kicked out when it ended (at around 9/10pm I think?). Potentially why we saw hardly any people?
It was snowing lightly when we entered which was beautiful. The park & castle grounds have what seem like hundreds of lanterns that have colourful art in them (see pics). It was pretty much empty and we didn't see that many people. There were certainly no crowds at all (unlike the very crowded Sapporo & Otaru festivals). They had traditional music playing softly over loudspeakers, coupled with the light soflty falling snow, the lanterns and lack of people, it was a truly magical and surreal experience that we will never forget!
Looking down from the castle you stumble across a valley of small igloo like huts (called kamakura) containing lights. Amazing! (see pic). Then we found an area with heaps of pink fairy lights that were amazing. It ended with a walk through an area with Japanese artwork on both sides. It just never ended and they were all spectacular and varied.
We didn't see any normal festival street food or stalls, but I assume this is because we were there later at night (as opposed to during the day or around dinner-time) or because it was the last night?
I cannot recommend Hirosaki Park enough, especially during the Snow Lantern Festival. Here's a website outlining the main 5 snow festivals in Japan - http://www.jnto.org.au/tips_detail.php?id=8
FYI, incase you're interested, the other of the top 2 experiences in Japan is Kodai-ji in Kyoto when it is lit up at night. Truly amazing too. A must do when in Kyoto.
It is a must see and I was blown away! We were there on the 13th Feb (I think it went from 10th feb - 13th feb in 2011). I had just been to the 2011 Sapporo snow festival as well as the Otaru one, and Hirosaki was by far the best!
We got there fairly late and it was dark already. I'd go there late afternoon so you saw it all with some light and watch the sun go down. It's all about the nightime lights though, so ensure you stay there until after dark. We pretty much got kicked out when it ended (at around 9/10pm I think?). Potentially why we saw hardly any people?
It was snowing lightly when we entered which was beautiful. The park & castle grounds have what seem like hundreds of lanterns that have colourful art in them (see pics). It was pretty much empty and we didn't see that many people. There were certainly no crowds at all (unlike the very crowded Sapporo & Otaru festivals). They had traditional music playing softly over loudspeakers, coupled with the light soflty falling snow, the lanterns and lack of people, it was a truly magical and surreal experience that we will never forget!
Looking down from the castle you stumble across a valley of small igloo like huts (called kamakura) containing lights. Amazing! (see pic). Then we found an area with heaps of pink fairy lights that were amazing. It ended with a walk through an area with Japanese artwork on both sides. It just never ended and they were all spectacular and varied.
We didn't see any normal festival street food or stalls, but I assume this is because we were there later at night (as opposed to during the day or around dinner-time) or because it was the last night?
I cannot recommend Hirosaki Park enough, especially during the Snow Lantern Festival. Here's a website outlining the main 5 snow festivals in Japan - http://www.jnto.org.au/tips_detail.php?id=8
FYI, incase you're interested, the other of the top 2 experiences in Japan is Kodai-ji in Kyoto when it is lit up at night. Truly amazing too. A must do when in Kyoto.
Written July 9, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SerCh
Singapore, Singapore492 contributions
Nov 2018 • Couples
We were here on 2 November. We walked through the Hirosaki Park with many beautiful autumn foliage on our way to Hirosaki Castle. We were surprised at how small the castle was and initially thought it was a mock up. Parts of the castle was still under renovations. The view infront of the castle is beautiful facing the mountains and there were benches where we had our tea break. We went up the castle. The stairs were steep and narrow. Once on top of the castle, they display photos of all the castles in Japan. The view on top is nice. On the ground floor, there is a small souvenir shop. We also visited the botanical gardens when they were having a chrysanthemums fair. All the dolls were dressed up with chrysanthemums in very artistic way. It’s worth to get the package entrance tickets to both the castle and the botanical gardens. There are renovations around, otherwise the place will be more beautiful. Hirosaki is indeed an interesting city to visit.
Written December 18, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
italycanada
Edmonton189 contributions
Apr 2017 • Friends
We were there on April 28, took the train and then bus from Aomori, stood all the way due to the crowds, and it was totally worth it. The whole bus let out a big "wow" when we arrived, because the scene was something to behold. The cherry trees of different colors were in full bloom, and it was just gorgeous. Follow the map to those scenic spots, and you can take amazing pictures. Don't miss it!!
Written May 16, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi everyone! Does anyone know if you can buy tickets for the park in advance? We are going at the end of April. Thanks!
Written February 9, 2020
I really don't know, BUT I went there at the height of FALL COLORS and just walked up to the ticket booth (South Entrance at Arboretum) and got the ticket for all entrances necessary to see everything... DO GET THERE EARLY, you have a bunch of walking to do. It is quite large and skip seeing the Samurai houses that day. Do them and other sites on days before or after.
Written February 9, 2020
Is it cherry Blossom festival now? We are planning to visit in 27/4/2019 what Is the temperature now?
Written April 25, 2019
Yes, it is now in the middle of the cherry blossom season in Hirosaki. The festival is ongoing now and you will be able to experience the festival this coming weekend. It will probably be spectacular to see.
Written April 26, 2019
Is there anywhere to park our car during the cherry blossom festival?
Written April 25, 2018
As far as I can recalled, there are parking spaces near to the City Museum opposite to the park.
Written April 26, 2018
Hi, may I know whether I still have chance to see full blown sakura on May 1/2. Thanks.
Written April 29, 2017
The further north you are, the later the sakura comes into and stays in bloom ... we saw full-blown, voluminous, sakura in Hirosaki in late April 2016. If the weather has been co-operative this year, you very well may!
Written April 29, 2017
novitakwee
Palembang, Indonesia
Hi there,
I am going on a day trip to Hirosaki Castle on the 24th of April and planning to get back to Tokyo with the last train in the same day (7.44 pm), I wanna ask If i can get the chance to see the Sakura light up by then? Thank you.
Written March 27, 2017
Hey!
The expect the blooming to start on April 23 on average this year. The light up starts on April 22. It's from 6:30 PM to 10 PM every day until May 7. As such, you should be able to see the light up, but the flowers won't be in full bloom. It's also gonna be somewhat tight on time for getting back to the station.
Source: Hirosaki park homepage
Written March 27, 2017
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