Blossoms, Blossoms, Blossoms

23-04-24

Aomori and Hirosaki

(P:- One of our team is usually up to see the sun rise, while the other, who will remain nameless likes to snooze a little longer. This morning as I head out on deck two imposing snow covered mountains dominate the clear dawn skyline. Mt Hakodate (1585m) and Mt Iwaki (1625m) a beautiful spring morning in Aomori)

We are on a tour today heading out of Aomori to Hirosaki. From our research before leaving home we found that Hirosaki is supposed to one of the most revered locations for Cherry Blossoms in Japan. I wasn’t holding out much hope of seeing them at their best as we seem to have just missed them at their prime in some places. Philip was googling yesterday and found that yesterday and today were their best viewing days and that from now on blossoms will start to fall. The blossoms depending on weather last 3-5 days! We will see what we find.

Hirosaki is an hours bus drive from the port, driving through Apple orchards and rice paddies. This area is known for growing apples, radish, garlic and rice. 20% of Japans apples ( the famous Fuji variety) are grown here and the rice produced here is ranked the best of all the rices in Japan. As we near Hirosaki we have great views of Mt Iwaki at 1625 metres and the highest mountain in the area. It’s snow covered peak dominates the view.

We disembark the bus and head over to the Castle Park. We have 3 hours here but plan to have a Quick Look around the gardens and then later around the town before meeting the bus. Well that didn’t happen. We spent all our time in the park. It’s absolutely beautiful, the blossoms are at their peak. Some 2600 trees and 52 varieties make a Blossom overload! The best we have seen anywhere. Food stalls line the entry and people are purchasing food and sitting around under the trees enjoying the beautiful day. As we follow the many paths around great views reveal themselves and it’s almost too hard to chose a spot to take a photo. Several bridal parties (in traditional dress) were having photos taken. I think I will let the photos do the talking now. I hope you enjoy them.

As we head back to the bus we stop to buy some food. Philip finds some small octopus dumplings which are really tasty, then we try some Fuji apples and buy some apple juice. Then for sweets we find some really tasty apple tarts. All street food stalls and all very tasty. We have tried so many foods from street vendors and everything has been really good.

(P:-Any day is a great day that gets us out of the city and into rural and forested areas. Today was exceptional. A great rural drive viewing farmland and agro forestry (Cyprus and Cedar plantations) as well as the immaculately pruned Fuji Apple orchards and tractors busy in the cropping land mentioned previously. If there was ever a spring blossom overload it was today. The Cherry Blossoms in their prime overshadowed that there was another Castle in the area! I also never noticed a Shrine close up. The gardens of Japan are amazing! Did I mention the Foods of Japan are amazing also? As we sailed out of Aomori a beautiful sunset topped the day off as one to remember.)