As I’ve mentioned in an earlier post, Aomori is the land of apples. So naturally, a trip to Aomori wouldn’t be complete without visiting Hirosaki City Apple Park.
The park spans a massive 9.7 hectares and has about 2,300 apple trees of 80 varieties. When we arrived at the park, it was apples galore — bright, red, and juicy! The cool, crisp morning was perfect for a walk in the orchard and, of course, some apple-picking.
Pick your own apples
Yes, you get the pick your own apples here! While admission to the park is free, the apple-picking experience costs 1,000 yen per 1 kg (approximately 3 apples) and is available from August to November.
It’s an experience worth trying. You need to sign up at the Apple House for the activity and the staff will bring you on a short guided tour — helping you pick the juiciest apples straight from the trees. And trust me, the apples are really juicy.
A walk among apples
Do you see many small red fruits above? If you’re thinking they’re cherries — they’re not! They are Crabapples, part of the 80 varieties of apples they cultivate in the park. Aren’t they a pretty sight?
When you are done with the apple picking, don’t just go off yet. Take time to enjoy the fresh air and the beautiful scenery. We took time to walk around the place for a bit and took in the wonderful landscape before us. And we were blessed with a majestic view of Mt Iwaki.
Don’t leave without…
Before heading off, be sure to explore the Apple House. It has over 1,200 apple-related products, from jams to snacks to souvenirs. You can also find the JA Aoren brand of apple juice there. Even if you miss the opportunity, fret not, many of the items are also available in shops around Aomori and Hirosaki, for instance at A-Factory or the JR Aomori and Hirosaki train stations.
If you are interested to know more about Aomori apples, read here.
Getting to Hirosaki City Apple Park
The park opens daily from 9am to 5pm. Here’s how we got there using our JR East Pass.
- From JR Aomori Station: Take Limited Express Tsugaru from JR OU Line to JR Hirosaki Station (30min).
- At JR Hirosaki Station: Exit via the Central Exit and head to bus stop no. 6.
- Take the local bus (20min, 300yen/pax), get off at Ringo Kōen (check bus timetable). Buses depart every 30 minutes from 9am to 4pm.
- From there, it’s a short walk to the park.
If you like the idea of joining a day tour, check out some that I’ve picked out from Viator for consideration.
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