Routes · Asia
Chicago to northern Tōhoku: Hirosaki and Aomori
Chicago → Hirosaki → Aomori
A castle of cherry blossoms & a city of giant lantern floats Best season (general guide): Apr–May, Aug, Oct
At the northern tip of Honshu, Aomori Prefecture has some of Japan's most spectacular cherry blossoms, autumn colours and summer festivals. This route spends three nights in Hirosaki and three in Aomori. From Chicago you'll connect through Tokyo to Aomori airport. Hirosaki, in western Aomori Prefecture, grew as a castle town for the Hirosaki Domain, ruled by the Tsugaru clan.
How to pace it: Spend days one to three in Hirosaki: day one, Hirosaki Park; day two, the castle and the samurai district; day three, apple orchards. Then spend days four to six in Aomori: day four, train to Aomori, then Nebuta museum; day five, Sannai-Maruyama Jōmon site; day six, Oirase Gorge and Lake Towada.
Today it is a regional commercial centre and the largest producer of apples in Japan. Hirosaki Castle's keep dates from 1810, and the park around it has thousands of cherry trees, making it one of the most famous places in Japan to see the blossom. Aomori, the capital of the prefecture, is a port city on Mutsu Bay.
The Aomori Nebuta Matsuri, held each August, parades huge illuminated floats of warriors and gods through the streets. Hirosaki holds a similar festival with fan-shaped floats. The Sannai-Maruyama site, on the city's edge, is one of the largest Jōmon settlements in Japan, and it is part of a UNESCO listing of prehistoric sites in northern Japan.
The Oirase Gorge is a forested river valley with waterfalls that flows out of Lake Towada, a large crater lake. Spring blossom, the August festivals and autumn colour are the highlights of the year here, while winters bring heavy snow. Apples and apple products are sold everywhere in Hirosaki, and Aomori is known for its seafood, especially scallops.
Aomori is one of Japan's 62 core cities. The Iwaki River flows through Hirosaki, which lies below Mount Iwaki, whose peak is within the city's borders. Aomori grew from a small port settlement called Utō, rebuilt in 1626 by the Tsugaru daimyō. The Komakino stone circle, south of the city, dates to around 4000 BC. Trains link Hirosaki and Aomori in well under an hour.
Safety: Canada's advice for Japan is to take normal security precautions (updated 29 Sep 2026), and the US rates Japan Level 1 (15 May 2025).
Suggested outline
Chicago
Hirosaki
A castle town and the apple capital of Japan.
Aomori
A port city of festivals at the top of Honshu.
"Aomori city from Hakkoda.jpg" by Angaurits, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Day by day
- Day 1 · Hirosaki — Arrive; Hirosaki Park· Chicago → Aomori (by air) — long-haul; may arrive the next calendar day, then Aomori → Hirosaki (overland)
- Day 2 · Hirosaki — The castle and the samurai district
- Day 3 · Hirosaki — Apple orchards
- Day 4 · Aomori — Train to Aomori; Nebuta museum· Hirosaki → Aomori (by train)
- Day 5 · Aomori — Sannai-Maruyama Jōmon site
- Day 6 · Aomori — Oirase Gorge and Lake Towada
- Day 7 · Aomori — Travel home from Aomori· Aomori → Chicago (by air)
A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.
Flights, leg by leg
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- Chicago → Hirosaki (CHI → AOJ) · Check today's price Search fares CHI → AOJ · 3 Dec ↗
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Hirosaki
Nearest airport: Aomori Search fares · Aomori ↗
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