A Hirosaki Castle Travel Guide: History and Cherry Blossoms

Hirosaki Castle has a long history as the residence of the lords of the Hirosaki Domain (present-day Aomori).
The first lord, Tsugaru Tamenobu, who founded the Hirosaki Domain for his achievements in the Battle of Sekigahara, planned the construction of the castle in 1603 to govern the Tsugaru region (now western Aomori).
Construction began under the second lord, Tsugaru Nobuhira, and was completed in 1611.
The completed Hirosaki Castle was a large castle for its time, with a five-story keep.
However, in 1627, the keep burned down after being struck by lightning.
The castle remained without a keep until 1810, when the Tatsumi Turret was remodeled to serve as the keep.
Today, while it is no longer five stories, a three-story keep rises within Hirosaki Park.

It is one of only 12 keeps in Japan that still survive from the Edo period and is also designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
It is the only surviving keep in the Tohoku region.
When the castle was first built, a five-story keep stood in the Honmaru (the area where the lord lived).
In 1627, lightning struck the shachihoko on the keep of Hirosaki Castle, and the fire spread from the fifth floor downward, burning it down.
The castle remained without a keep for some time, but in 1810 it was rebuilt as a three-story keep by Yasuchika, the ninth lord of the Hirosaki Domain.
The roof uses lightweight, highly cold-resistant copper-tile roofing, a feature unique to castles in Tohoku.
“Copper-tile roofing” refers to tiles made by attaching copper sheets to wooden tiles.
You can also see other features unique to snowy Tohoku, so try imagining them as you look up at the keep.

The wooden parts of the Ushitora Turret, such as under the eaves and the projecting lattice windows, are left unpainted, giving it a natural, rustic feel.
Though simple, it has a distinctive beauty—another architectural feature of the Ushitora Turret.
The directions of the turrets at Hirosaki Castle are said to correspond to the 12 zodiac signs, and “ushitora” indicates the northeast.
In other words, it serves as a three-story turret that protects the northeast.
The one that was built in 1610, when construction of Hirosaki Castle began, still remains today and is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

The Tatsumi Turret is the first thing you’ll see when entering the castle through Otemon Gate.
It is a corner turret located in the tatsumi (southwest) direction of the Ninomaru and is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
It was built for attacking enemies advancing on the castle and for lookout purposes, and it is constructed in fire-resistant earthen-storehouse style for bullet and fire protection.
Across the inner moat, you can see the beautiful Tatsumi Turret surrounded by Somei Yoshino cherry trees, so be sure to enjoy it together with the blossoms.

Kikko Gate was considered the main gate soon after the castle was built, but later became the back gate when Otemon Gate became the main gate.
It was relocated from the gate of Daikoji Castle, which Tsugaru Tamenobu, the first lord of the Hirosaki Domain, captured during the unification war in the Tsugaru region.
As a result, it is the only surviving structure at Hirosaki Castle that still bears arrow scars from battles.
It has many highlights, such as lacking ya-zama (arrow slits) and having a longer history than the other gates.
It is also designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

At the Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden, where 1,500 species and 12,400 plants and trees are planted, you can enjoy changes through the seasons.
The grounds are vast at Approx. 8 ha and are divided into 23 zones.
There are many highlights, including the “Shirakami Mountain Range Ecology Garden” planted with 156 beech trees, the “Oishi Bugaku-ryu Garden” where you can feel the history and culture of the Tsugaru region, and a SEIKO “flower clock.”
Enjoy not only the historic structures of Hirosaki Castle, but also the beautiful flowers.

A castle ruin standing on a plateau with an elevation difference of Approx. 90 m.
It is said to have been the residence of the Sannohe Nanbu clan from the late Muromachi period to the early Edo period.
Even after Morioka became the seat of the clan in the Edo period, a castle steward was stationed there because it remained a strategic stronghold.
Even after it became an old castle following the abolition of the castle steward during the Jokyo era (1684–88), it continued to be managed throughout the Edo period, including the appointment of an official in charge of cleaning.
Remains such as stone walls, earthen ramparts, and moats are preserved at key points within the site, offering a glimpse of what it was like in the past.
Today, the ruins have been developed as Shiroyama Park, and in spring it becomes one of southern Aomori’s leading cherry-blossom spots, with various cherry trees in bloom.

Kabushima is one of Japan’s leading breeding grounds for black-tailed gulls.
At the top of the stone steps, Kabushima Shrine—founded in 1269—rises on a hill.
In the Edo period, the Hachinohe Domain’s successive lords, starting with the first, also held deep devotion to it.
The enshrined deity, Ichikishimahime-no-Mikoto, is the same deity as Benzaiten of the Seven Lucky Gods, a goddess said to grant powerful good fortune in wealth.
Flocks of black-tailed gulls that help indicate fishing grounds have long been cherished by locals as messengers of Benzaiten.

A large settlement site registered as a World Cultural Heritage site in 2021.
It was discovered in 1992 during a preliminary survey conducted before building a prefectural baseball stadium.
From the Early to Middle Jomon period (Approx. 5,900–4,200 years ago), pit-dwelling remains and post-built structure remains (including large ones), graves, disposal sites, roads, and more were investigated, revealing the overall picture of the settlement and the natural environment of the time.
In addition, a vast amount of pottery, jade transported from other regions, and chestnuts believed to have been managed and cultivated were excavated, making it a major discovery that overturned previous images of Jomon culture.