Hirosaki
Hirosaki is a small and peaceful city in the far north of Japan’s main island, Honshu. The intact seventeenth century castle and its splendid gardens are major attractions for visitors. The gardens are full of cherry trees and create a spectacular sight during Sakura when the trees come into blossom.
The Ishiba Ryokan is an old and traditional inn which is well located in Hirosaki. The owner and his family were very hospitable and the rooms were good value. A friend of theirs took me to a little and well-hidden Izakaya (Japanese bar) that I would never have found on my own, and it served excellent quality sashimi (raw fish).
Neputa Festival
I was fortunate enough to arrive in Hirosaki during the city’s dramatic and coordinated festival, Neputa. The Neputa Festival in Hirosaki and Nebuta in Aomori coincide and are both famed for their bright and colourful floats depicting ancient characters of war. The festivals run from 2nd to 7th August. You can get very close to the parades in Hirosaki. It’s a noisy, lively, and an enthralling event!
