From the Apple Park, we hopped on a bus to our next stop – Hirosaki Castle and Park. When we reached our destination, we were met with this picture-perfect scene. It wasn’t quite peak autumn yet but you could already see hints of red and orange. Imagine both sides of the canal lined in deep autumn hues – it must be breathtaking in full season. Unsurprisingly, many stopped by this iconic spot to snap photos.
Before exploring the park, it was time to refuel. Here’s a place that we strongly recommend, if you do not mind indulging quite a bit – Restaurant Yamazaki. The restaurant ranks quite highly on Tripadvisor and Tabelog and is famous for <drum roll> its miracle apple cuisine!
Restaurant Yamazaki and the Miracle Apple
Restaurant Yamazaki is a renowned French restaurant in Hirosaki. It serves seasonal course meals which highlight the region’s ingredients, in particular apples. Their signature dish is the Miracle Apple Cold Soup, a refreshing chilled treat which is made using the whole apple, including the skin, to create a cappuccino-like creamy soup. The delicious soup is made with Akinori Kimura’s miracle apples, hence the name. Mr Kimura is an apple farmer from Aomori who is most known for cultivating these miracle apples without any chemical fertilisers or pesticides and was the first person in the world to succeed in what was thought to be impossible. You can read about him here if you are interested in his story.
The food was simply delicious. If you have a chance, do give this restaurant a try. It’s best if you make a reservation to avoid disappointment.
We were inspired to try this and also visit Aomori because of Mediacorp Singapore artistes Jeremy’s and Jessica’s travel programme Double J Baecation 绚耀爱情. Their experience at Restaurant Yamazaki — especially the Miracle Apple Cold Soup — really caught our attention. You can watch the episode on YouTube (in Mandarin, with English subtitles) below. Hopefully, you will be equally inspired to go visit!
A stroll to Saishōin Temple Five-storied Pagoda
After our delicious lunch, we took a short 11-min walk to Saishōin Temple, a Shingon Buddhist temple near Hirosaki Castle. This beautiful temple and its five-storied pagoda, officially named Kongozan Komyoji Saishoin Temple, was built to watch over the castle. The pagoda, a designated National Important Cultural Asset, is considered the most beautiful in Tohoku. Its colours and architectural design sit harmoniously against the backdrop of the autumn leaves. You can also purchase and write your wishes on small wooden ema (絵馬) plaques to hang at the temple.
Finally, Hirosaki Castle and Park
From the temple, we made our way back to Hirosaki Park. It’s a popular spot during spring and autumn, thanks to its 1,000 maple trees and 2,600 cherry trees. During the Cherry Blossom Festival and the Autumn Foliage Festival, the park becomes a canvas of brilliant colours. In winter, it transforms again for the Snow Lantern Festival with glowing lanterns creating a magical landscape.
Nestled in the park is Hirosaki Castle, widely considered as one of Japan’s most beautiful castles. Just next to it, you can also catch sight of Mt Iwaki in the background, framed by beautiful autumn foliage — postcard perfect.
A bit of history:
Hirosaki Castle is one of the few original castles left in Japan. Many of Japan’s castles were dismantled or burned down in World War II and were rebuilt after the war. The Hirosaki Castle is the only castle built during the Edo period (1603-1867). Built originally in 1611 by the Tsugaru samurai clan, the castle was rebuilt in 1811 after its main keep was struck by lightning and burnt down in 1627. Today, it is listed as one of 100 fine castles in Japan.
If you have time, visit the Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden. We skipped it because it was getting late, but it’s well worth seeing during flower season.
Admission fees for the castle and the garden are both the same – 320 yen (adults) and 100 yen (child) each. Its premises are open from 9am to 5pm.
Getting to Hirosaki Park and Castle
- From the JR Hirosaki Station, you can take a 30-min walk to the Park if you don’t mind the stroll.
- You can also take the Dotemachi Loop Bus or Dotechō Junkan Bus (only between 10am and 6pm) from Hirosaki Bus Terminal bus stop no. 8 in front of JR Hirosaki Station for 100 yen. The bus runs every 10min and the journey takes about 15min.
- Alight at Shiyakusho Mae (市役所前) for Hirosaki Park.
Of course, if you don’t like the idea of planning your trips or want it hassle-free so you can enjoy your trip, you can also book day tours. I’ve picked out some from Viator if you are keen.
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