Aomori Hirosaki Highlights Half Day Private Tour with Lunch

Experience the cultural essence of Hirosaki on this efficient half‑day tour led by an English‑speaking guide. Start with a buffet lunch featuring international dishes and local Aomori specialties. Then explore Tsugaruhan Neputa Village, where impressive festival floats and traditional crafts showcase the spirit of the Neputa Festival year‑round. Continue to Hirosaki Castle, known for its seasonal beauty—from cherry blossoms to autumn leaves and winter snow. Visit Meiji‑era Western‑style buildings such as the Former City Library and the Former To‑o Gijuku Missionary Residence, reflecting the city’s early international influences. With convenient routes and included transport, this tour offers a rich, immersive introduction to Hirosaki’s history and culture.

1. 1

   Stop 1

   1 hour

   Enjoy a buffet featuring a wide variety of international cuisine including Mediterranean and Asian, as well as local dishes of Aomori. Please note that requests for vegetarian meals, allergy-friendly meals, gluten-free meals, or requests to remove or change ingredients due to personal preferences are not accepted. Allergen icons are displayed.

2. 2

   Tsugaruhan Neputa Mura

   1 hour

   You can here experience the Hirosaki Neputa Festival, an Intangible Folk Cultural Asset of Japan, all year round. Enjoy seeing not only the impressive Neputa festival floats, but also Tsugaru's traditional crafts and a garden with Oishi Bugaku-ryu style of landscaping that is a Registered Monument of Japan.

3. 3

   Hirosaki Castle

   1.5 hours

   Located in Hirosaki Park, Hirosaki Castle features Japan's northernmost extant main keep, and is a designated important cultural property. With approximately 2,600 cherry trees of 52 varieties, Hirosaki Park is considered one of Japan's top 3 cherry blossom spots, but it also flaunts beautiful colors in autumn with about a thousand maple trees and the fall foliage of the cherry trees. In winter, look forward to scenery unlike any other as the roofs of the castle, normally of a greenish blue hue, are draped in snow. The castle tower cannot be entered from November 24, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

4. 4

   Former Hirosaki City Library

   30 min

   Opened in 1870, To-o Gijuku was the first private school in the prefecture based on Keikokan, a clan school of the Hirosaki domain. This Western-style building established in 1900 was built as a residence for international instructors invited to To-o Gijuku, and has been designated as a prefectural treasure.

5. 5

   Stop 5

   30 min

   This facility was built to commemorate victory in the Russo-Japanese War in 1906, and was used as a city library until 1931. While the building is based on the Renaissance style, it incorporates Japanese styles throughout. Designated as a prefectural treasure, the Western-style building is representative of the Meiji period (1868-1912), and features the originality and ingenuity of Horie Sakichi, a master builder from Hirosaki.

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.