Hirosaki City - The Original Castle Keep

Art, Culture, & Historical

Tomohiko K.

4.63 / 5
(8 reviews)
Aomori
Russian, English, Japanese (Native)
6 hours
Private tour (only you and your group)
Up to 8 people

Hirosaki has many attractions, such as the thousands of ancient cherry trees, surrounding the castle and is Japan’s biggest apple producer.

There are about 50 apple-pie restaurants.

Hirosaki grew up around its castle, protected by Shinto Shrines to the north and Buddhism temples to the south-west.


Come with me and I'll share my extensive knowledge about the city and make this a memorable experience!


*This fee DOES NOT include transportation fee.

Ex. 8 seaters taxi - 50,000yen every 6 hours

Meeting Point

At the Aomori Station or Your Hotel Lobby

09:00 AM

At Aomori station or You Hotel Lobby

We will initially meet at 9AM at either Aomori Station or Your Hotel Lobby then we will take the taxi (or other agreed upon method of transportation) to Hirosaki City

10:00 AM

Hirosaki Castle Park

Completed in 1611, the castle was occupied by generations of the Tsugaru clan. The castle keep was rebuilt in 1810 and has now been turned into a small historical museum.

It dominates the 121-acre / 49ha public park, which is very famous throughout Japan for the flowering of its 2,600 cherry trees, from the end of April to mid-May.

The botanical gardens in the park are worth strolling through to see the many styles of garden in different seasons.

11:00 AM

Neputa - Mura Village

Let's experience Hirosaki's unique summer time festival within the Neputa-Mura Village!

Here you will see:

Neputa Float: Containing some of the highly decorative festival floats with illuminated screens or gigantic fans used during the Famous Hirosaki festival, the Neputa Matsuri Festival.

Did you know that the word neputa derives from nepute or “drowsiness” in the local dialect? This allegedly refers to the farmer’s custom of placing giant lanterns along the riverbank in order to keep them awake when they were returning home from a hard days work.

The museum also offers free live performances featuring:

● Shamisen: Japanese traditional 3 stringed musical guitar.

● Neputa Festival Music where you can try hitting the gigantic drums

*The following are NOT included in the fee:

●Lunch and Shopping: Ramen and others (Aomori Ramen-dried sardine-based soup, Sushi, Tempura (Mountain vegetables).

●Aomori Specialties (varieties of crafts, cake and others)

●Workshops: wooden dolls, pottery, locale ware.

01:00 PM

Fujita Garden OR Zenrin Temple OR Nakacho Samurai Houses

You can ONE choose amongst the following:

*Fujita Kinen Teien - Garden

In its 26,312 sq yd / 22,000sq m area, you will find a Japanese house with a floor made from Yakusugi (ancient pines), archeological hall, a tea ceremony pavilion.

A somber Taisho-era dwelling with a magnificent veranda.

The garden also features a café - the apple pie here is best!

*Entrance fee is 320yen

**Attending the tea ceremony with some sweets fee is 1000yen per person

***Attending the handcraft workshop has an additional fee that changes per event; fees are generally around 300-2000yen - please ask for what the current event is!

OR

*Zenrin-Gai

Thirty - three Zen temples flanks this peaceful “Buddhist way “leading to the Tsugaru family temple of Chosho - ji, containing 500 small statues of the disciples of Buddha.

*There is NO additional fee required

OR

*Nakacho Historic Quarter - Samurai Houses

The people who served the Daimyo (King of local districts in Japan), lived in this district.

Several houses are open to visitors. The Iwata House shows how a Samurai family would have lived at the time (16c- 19c) around 400 years ago.

*Ninja house is near this district

**There is NO additional fee required

03:00 PM

Return to Aomori Station or Your Hotel Lobby

We will take the taxi (or agreed upon method of transportation) back to either your hotel lobby or Aomori Station

Ending Point

At the Aomori Station or Your Hotel Lobby

Want to personalize this tour?

  • Our tours can be customized according to your needs and preferences
  • Click below to tell us what you are looking for:

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

Tour Guiding Fee

What‘s not included

All events mentioned in the itinerary (museum fee, apple picking fee, restaurants, hot springs, etc.)

Food costs

Taxi/Transportation fee

Important Information

If you give at least a 3 weeks - 1 month in advance notice - other days will be available, to the best of my ability; Available every day in January, February and March

We will be traveling a lot around the castle, garden, temple, shrine - you will feel refreshed afterwards.

If you do not see the tour which you are looking for or want to add or subtract something, let me know what you want to do and where you go soon!

Very welcome in always!

• Market opens usually at 10 am, so you cannot visit before then.

• This tour involves a lot of walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.

• Several places we will visit do not accept credit cards, so please bring cash.

Hirosaki is nicknamed the Kyoto of Northern Japan, here you will experience true Japanese culture without the overwhelming tour groups.

Upon approaching the castle, you will experience the botanical gardens leading up to the picturesque castle.

When you are in the area, you can feel the Edo atmosphere and imagine walking amongst the samurai.

Afterwards, wake yourself from the dreamy feeling when visiting the Neputa-Mura Village and be empowered by the festival music from the drums and flutes. Let's enjoy some sake while you're here as well - sake tasting is available throughout the city.

Regardless of your choice for the last activity, you will feel the historical presence as you finish your day.

Cancellation Policy

  • Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
  • 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
  • No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time

Reviews

J

Jamila T.

2 / 5
Aug 2, 2024

Feel cheated while in Aomori

We booked this tour thinking this is the price including taxi fare but it ended up this is for guides only, we had to pay 50000 yen’s for taxi. Very disappointed. The offer/ pricing should be clear so it’s not misleading.

Tomohiko K.

Dear Ms. Jamilia. I would like to say thanks for joining my tour. I am sure that your group 34 people could enjoy the tour. How about the Aomori Nebuta Festival? I am very sympathetic to you that you had a bad feeling to the tour booking. Each tour like my yours and other tours have below message after a tour introduction and explanation. 【Inclusions & Exclusions】 What‘s included Tour Guiding Fee What‘s not included All events mentioned in the itinerary (museum fee, apple picking fee, restaurants, hot springs, etc.) Food costs Taxi/Transportation fee But it seems that the message note is not a little clear so that we would like to make it more clear for guest to see it easily. Thanks so much for having my tour again. The cherry trees bloom in the Hirosaki castle park, in 2,600 trees with a variety of 50 kinds is the most beautiful in the world. The Hirosaki Cherry Trees Blossom festival is held from mid-April to the beginning of May. If you have an opportunity to visit Japan again, please come to Hirosaki in Spring and I will provide special guide to you. Sincerely yours, Tomohiko Kudo

Rolf-Dieter

5 / 5
Jul 23, 2024

Special day, top guide!

On the occasion of my milestone birthday, Mr. Tomohiko provided us with a perfectly varied excursion to Hirosaki. He took our special wishes into consideration. A special day with a special guide that we will not forget.

Tomohiko K.

Dear Rolf-dieter F. I would like to say thanks so much for joining my tour and be very honored to have your wonderful comment on my tour again. I will never forget the memory with you in my mind forever. I am sure that you could enjoy your Japan tour. I am looking forward to visiting your city in Germany someday and also guiding you in August for appreciating the Nobuta Festival in Aomori. Sincerely yours, Tomohiko Kudo

Barbara A.

5 / 5
May 27, 2024

A fun day with Motohiko in Amoria

From the moment we met Tomohiko, he was energetic, fun and friendly. He had many ideas to share with us and was organized and keen to show us his prefecture. He assisted us with any requirements and did everything to make our day enjoyable

Tomohiko K.

Dear Barbara Abel and your friends. Welcome to Aomori ! I am so honored to guide you and your friends who visit Japan first time. 【Hirosaki Tour】 27th May 2024 ~ Itinerary ~ 【A full day for Hirosaki city - 6 hours tour 】 9:00 Start from Aomori, capital city of Aomori prefecture by chartered taxi from the Aomori cruise terminal (Diamond Princess) ( * 6 hours driving) 10:00 Hirosaki castle park.  12:00 Lunch :Japanese Soba Noodle @Sanchu Soba Restaurant. 13:00 Neputa - mura Village (Museum, Shamisen (three-stringed musical instrument show) activities: Nebut big drum hitting experience 15:00 Aomori arrive. I am looking forward to seeing and guiding you at the Nebuta Festival in the beginning of August someday. Thanks so much again!

Zeynep E.

5 / 5
May 14, 2024

Great Tour of Aomori

We had A great tour with Tomohiko.he was very informative and had the very interesting itinerary which supplemented things we had already seen so far quite well. It was a breath of fresh air and he was very knowledgeable.

Tomohiko K.

I guided a mother and one daughter who live in Istanbul, to Seiryuuji temple, Warasee and Sannai Marurama Archeological Site. In particular, they are very interested in the Sannai-Maruyama ruins. A new "World Heritage Introduction" was added to the Sannai Jomon Theater at the end of April, and the content was enriched. When I talked about obsidian (which does not exist in Aomori and is found at the Sannai-Maruyama site due to the trade between Aomori and Hokkaido ), You told to me that there are many obsidians in Turkey. The population of Istanbul is the same as Tokyo, with a European-style cityscape in the west and an Asian-style cityscape in the east. As a souvenir, I have Turkish sweets and a banknote of 10 Turkish lira (portrait of Kemal Ataturk, the first president of the Republic of Turkey). As you know, in 1890 (Meiji 22), the Turkish Imperial cruiser "Ertugrul" ran aground off the coast of Kushimoto Town, Wakayama Prefecture in a big storm, and 650 crew members were in distress. The people of Kushimoto devoted themselves to the rescue, and miraculously, 69 lives were saved. At the behest of the Emperor Meiji, two warships sent 69 people to Turkey. In the Showa era, the hero of Turkey, President Kemal Ataturk gave the monument to Kushimoto town. After that, memorial service has been in the milestone year, sponsored by both countries. The bond between the two countries has continued. During the Iran-Iraq War in 1985, an attack that loomed 48 hours later, leaving 215 Japan people behind. At that time, two rescue planes rushed from Turkey and all of them escaped from Iran. You say, "Kemal Ataturk is Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam." At the request of the president of a Turkish travel agency, whom I guided in November last year, I will guide a Turkish group again next month. I would like to say thanks for your joining my tour, and I am looking forward to seeing and guiding you in the Nebuta Festival in August again!

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