Apple pie

Tsugaru-Nuri lacquerware

Everywhere around Hirosaki City,
Japan’s largest apple producer, you
can enjoy applepies using good-taste
apples made in this “city of apple”.

Cypress is repeatedly painted withlacquer and polished in a lengthy
48-step procedure to yield this lacquerware, in a craft dating from theEdo period.

Kogin EmbroideryThis craft from the Edo period features
hemp cloth embroidered with cotton
thread as reinforcement ant extra
warmth for the kimonos of farmers.
It is characterized by simple, beautiful
geometrical patterns hand-stitchedon indigo-dyed hemp.

Aomori Airport
Akita Airport
Iwate Hanamaki Airport

Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto

Apple juice

Tohoku ExpresswayApprox. 7 hMaking kabazaiku was initially asecond source of income for samurai.
Commonly made from the bark of
the mountain cherry, these traditional
crafts are known for their uniqueluster and unassumingly rich color.

Tokyo Haneda Airport
Sapporo New Chitose Airport
Osaka Itami Airport
Nagoya Komaki Airport

Hirosaki

Tokyo Station

Itayazaiku maple bark crafts
In Itayazaiku, the bark from young
painted maple trees is cut into strips
that are woven into baskets and othervessels. This elegant artisan craft isknown for its simple wood texture.

TokyoTohoku ExpresswayApprox. 5 hKakunodate

Chubu Centrair InternationalAirport, Nagoya

Okaribayaki consists of meat andseasonal vegetables seasoned withJapanese pepper and miso. It recreates the flavors of the game meat so
beloved by the northern branch of
the Satake family who once controlled Kakunodate.

Naruto-mochi rice cakes
For generations, residents of theKakunodate region have celebrated
holidays and important events withthese cakes. Made from stone-groundglutinous rice and filled with red beanpaste, they are beloved for their chewy
texture and the smooth sweetnessof the filling.

Tohoku Expressway
Approx. 5 hTokyo

Sapporo New Chitose Airport
Osaka Itami Airport
Nagoya Komaki Airport

Kitakami

Tokyo Station

Shin-Aomori

Approx. 45 min

Aomori
AirportBy busApprox. 55 min

Shin-Aomori Station

Tsugaru Express (to Akita)
Approx. 30 min

Hirosaki Station

Omagari IC Approx. 40 min

Kakunodate

Bus or share taxi
Approx. 1 h

Kakunodate

Approx. 1 h 30 min

Hachinohe-kita

Hirosaki

HirosakiApprox. 1 h 20 min

Akita Expressway
Approx. 1 h

Kitakami CityKitakami

Kitakami croquettes

Cherry blossom dye

Kitakami croquettes are made withlocal ingredients such as taro. Crunchy
on the outside and soft and warm on
the inside, these croquettes are simply
to die for.

You may choose to purchase handmade crafts colored with plant dyes
from cherry blossom trees local toKitakami. This natural color from theMichinoku-Kitakami region is truly asight to behold.

Kai-zogan Shell-inlaid
Ebony Chopsticks
A zogan work shell-inlaid ebony. The
shell patterned ebony shining whiteis beautiful. There are teacup holdersand teapot stands in addition tochopsticks.

Kitakami beef
Kitakami is blessed with the perfectenvironment for raising livestock.
Using advanced feeding techniques,
the region’s farmers work passionately to offer some of the best andmost delicious beef in the country.

Hachinohe

Aomori
AirportAshiroKuji

NinoheApprox. 1 h 5 min
Approx. 1 h 10 min
Approx. 1 h 15 min

Akita Airport

Akita

Approx. 1 h 10 min
Akita Shinkansen
Approx. 3 h

Kakunodate Station

Akita
AirportApprox. 15 min

Kitakami Tenshochi

Iwate Hanamaki
AirportKakunodate
YokoteKitakami Kanegasaki ICHanamaki

Approx. 1 h 10 min

Iwate-Hanamaki
AirportBus or taxi
Approx. 50 min

Tohoku Shinkansen
Approx. 2 h 30 min

Kitakami

Kakunodate

Kamaishi

Kitakami

YokoteOfunatoApprox. 1 hApprox. 1 h 20 min

MiyakoMorioka

Omagari

Ichinoseki

Kesennuma

Kitakami Station

Top 3 Cherry Blossom Locations in the Michinoku Region
Approx. 1 h 45 min

HIROSAKI

Aomori

Hirosaki Park

Approx. 1 h 15 min

Kitakami Junction

Tokyo Haneda Airport
Sapporo New Chitose Airport
Osaka Itami Airport

National Route 7Approx. 25 min

Owani-Hirosaki ICTohoku-Hokkaido Shinkansen
Approx. 3 hTokyo Station

Okaribayaki(game-flavored cooking)

KITAKAMI

Itami Airport(Osaka International Airport)

Tokyo

Kabazaiku
traditional tree-bark crafts

KAKUNODATE

Haneda Airport
Nagoya Komaki Airport
Chubu Centrair International Airport, Nagoya

A hundred percent pure apple juice.
By squeezing the apples without any
contact with air, the true taste andscent of apples are maintained.

Semboku City (Kakunodate)

北上

New Chitose Airport

角館

Hirosaki City

弘前

Local Specialties
and Souvenirs

Approx. 2 h 45 min

Sendai

HirosakiSuggested RouteDay 1

Hirosaki

Hirosaki  Hirosaki Park (Hirosaki Castle)  Tsugaru-han Neputa Village Museum  Hirosaki Apple Park
 Saisho-in Five-Storied Pagoda  Stay overnight in HirosakiKakunodate  Samurai District and Cherry Bark Traditional Craft Museum  Sake brewery tour and tastingDay 2Kakunodate  Japanese sweets factory tour  Kakunodate Onsen  Stay overnight in Kakunodate

Day 3Kitakami

Kitakami  Tenshochi Park and Michinoku Folklore Village  Yakult factory tour
 Kitakami Oni no Yakata Museum  Semi Onsen (Geto Kogen Onsen Village)

Top3 Cherry Blossom Locations in the Michinok Region!

Inquiries
Council for the Top 3 Cherry Blossom Locations in the Michinoku Region!
https://michinokusakura.com

Aomori

Hirosaki
Hirosaki Park
When to visit:
Late April
to
Early May

Akita

Hirosaki Park boasts 2600 cherry trees, and its annual Cherry
Blossom Festival celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2018.
The park offers a number of stunning sights, including flower
carpet of cherry blossoms petals that at times covers the castle
moat!

Kakunodate
Samurai District
When to visit:
Late April
to
Early May

Area sightseeing
Hirosaki City Apple Park
Hirosaki is the center of apple production in Japan. Apple Park is locatednear Mt. Iwaki and if it is clear you can
get a spectacular view of it. This parkfeatures 1,500 trees and 80 varietiesof apples. You can learn about apple
cultivation, marketing and nutrition
as well as the history of apple production. Throughout the year there
are various events to enjoy, and it has
something to offer to every memberof the family!

Iwate

Rich in history and culture, the area around the Hinokinai Riverin Kakunodate seems frozen in time and is sometimes referred
to as the Little Kyoto of Michinoku. Yoshino cherry trees border
the river, while weeping cherry trees line streets of old samurai
residences. Visit at the right time to see all of Kakunodate dyedin exquisite pink.

Kitakami
Tenshochi Park
When to visit:
Mid-to-late
April

Area sightseeing
Saishoin Temple
Five-Storied Pagoda
This pagoda was built about 350 years
ago by Nobuyoshi, the third load of
the Tsugaru clan, to commemorate
those who died in battle, friends,
and enemies alike, during the unification of Tsugaru. The five-storiedpagoda, which stands 31.2 meters
high, is considered the most beautiful of its kind in Tohoku.

A stunning cherry tree tunnel extending 2 km along the KitakamiRiver. Enjoy the scenery above the water while walking under
300 carp streamers, as well as the lovely views looking downfrom Jingaoka.

Area sightseeing

Lake Tazawa

Hirafuku Memorial Art Museum

Geto Kogen Ski Resort

Geto Kogen Onsen Village

Boasting a depth of 423.4 m, the mysterious Lake Tazawa is Japan’s deepest lake. The clear, bright blue of its
waters offers a rich expression thatwill captivate all who visit its shores.

This museum celebrates the works oflocal artists, such as Naotake Odano,
Suian Hirafuku and Hyakusui Hirafuku among others. It also holds exhibitions of more contemporary artists.

The Geto Kogen Ski Resort is said
to have some of the best snow inJapan, in both quantity and quality.
Here you’ll find plenty of courses tosuit everyone from beginners toexperts alike.

Located southwest of Kitakami City,
Geto Kogen Hot Spring Village consists of eight facilities. The celebrated
Geto Hot Spring is the most remoteof these remote springs and boastsa history that dates back more thana millennium!

Fujita Memorial Garden

Mt. Iwaki

Dakigaeri Gorge

Nyuto Hot Spring Village

Onikenbai

Michinoku Folklore Village

Fujita Kenichi, a native of Hirosaki
and the first president of the Japan
Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
had the villa built in 1921. The garden,approximately 21,000m, includes agarden on a hill, from which you cansee Mt. Iwaki, and low-lying garden
with beautiful pond and irises.

Mt. Iwaki is a double volcano with analtitude of 1,625m. There are threepeaks; the two flanking peaks are Mt.
Ganki and Mt. Chokai, and the central peaks is Mt. Iwaki. The mountaingreatly varies in appearance depending on where you look at it; eachtown claims that it has the best viewof the mountain.

Dakigaeri Gorge is especially known
for both its spring and autumn foliage, and offers paths for a pleasant
walk to the gorge’s landmark Mikaeri
Falls.

Nyuto Hot Spring Village is one ofJapan’s most popular remote hotspring destinations. It is home toseven unique hot spring inns thatwill surely bring peace and comfort
to the weary traveler.

[Nationally Designated Important Intangible
Cultural Property]

Right next to Tenshochi, you’ll finda grouping of about 200-year-oldcottages. Immerse yourself in anauthentic Japanese landscape whichtells the history and evolution ofJapanese village life.

This bold and dramatic dance is truly
captivating. Visitors to Kitakami cansee the sword dance being performed at the Kitakami Oni noYakata, as well as throughout the cityduring the Kitakami-Michinoku Arts
Festival, a three-day festival that
opens annually on the first Fridayof August.