Showing posts with label hirosaki castle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hirosaki castle. Show all posts

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival (Part 2)

Hirosaki Castle with the cute Japanese Ladies posing on the side ;-)



Hanami (Flower Viewing), picnic under the trees



The Inner South Gate



The big clock at Hirosaki Arboretum



Mt Iwaki View



People at Firing Squad hehehe actually they're posing for the Mt Iwaki view



Here's the another view of Mt Iwaki and to see why the people were standing along the fence



The Bridge


The Food Booths


Another food booths


Grilled Mochi



Grilled Mochi (sweet rice)


Shrimp costs 600 yen (~$6.50) a piece (!!!!)






Chicken karaaga


Tako yaki (octopus ball)



Toy Store



Choco Banana


------------------------------------------------

This is the continuation of my post on Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival. Since we didn't get to see the full bloom of the cherry blossom we just enjoyed our trip by eating a lot of food from the food booths. Do I have to say only "cherry tress" now? hehehe since no blossom at all?

Some people were eating under the cherry blossom trees which they called "hanami" I feel so envy with them, they're so very happy eating food, drinking beers and playing some card games. And while Japanese people are enjoying their "hanami", my children and I just sat on the grass along the side of the road and found some plastic bags to sit on and ate our barbecue, grilled corn, choco banana, yaki soba while viewing the people who pass by our front :-) hmmm what do you think should I call that?? I don't think that's hanami hehehe since there were not eating under the trees ;-). I wish my husband was there that day so he could bring/carry some folding chairs for us LOL.

Oh well...I hope you enjoy my pictures, I know it took so long for my part 2 but I was so busy at home (doing facebook LOL).

By the way, we may be moving out soon from Japan and go back to US sometime this year (our tour was cut short from our 3 year tour). So I will be taking more pictures of Japan while we're still here and share the best pictures here on my blog ;-) so don't miss my posts, my few months in Japan ;-)




Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival 2010

Sakura (cherry blossom)


another cherry blossom


"Weeping" Cherry Blossoms (but not fully bloomed yet)


Hirosaki Castle view (see the cherry blossoms were not fully bloomed), young teenagers were playing cards along the side of the road ;-)




------------------------------------------------------

Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival (April 23 to May 5, 2010)

These photos were taken last April 24, 2010 when we went to Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival. We signed up for the ITT (Information, Tickets and Travel) Trip on base for this festival 2 months prior this date just to get seats (and so as not to drive up there). Usually this trip is sold out fast, so I bought the tickets during the first day of sale and we got on the 3rd bus already. Unfortunately we didn't know what would be the weather this day......the cherry blossoms were not fully bloomed yet. This year the spring is so late and same with the cherry blossoms. Last year, we went to Hirosaki same week as this date (last week of April) and the cherry blossoms were everywhere, pretty nice. You really can't predict the weather.

Luckily, I found 2 (out of 2,600) cherry blossoms tree which were "quite" bloomed so I took the pictures (first and second photos)....at least I saw some ;-)

The festival for this year started April 23 and ends May 5.

If you want to see my last year's photos in Hirosaki Festival, just click this.... "click" . It would be the same view anyway but different year hehehe.

I will post more pictures when I have time.

Wait...I wasn't joking when I said I found 2 trees.....here's the photo.










Monday, February 15, 2010

Hirosaki Snow Lantern Festival

Building snow sculpture


Another view of the building snow sculpture


Animal Snow Sculptures


Not sure if this is Mickey Mouse (??)


I don't know the name of this snow sculpture, maybe Mama and baby bear (???) hehehe, this sculpture is big it's like a stage size

Different lanterns and overlooking Hirosaki Castle


Visitors are getting the candles once you enter this area and putting them anywhere they want to











&*^%$100 #@ ! (whatever that is hehehe)


Hello Kitty (has mumps LOL)


This Japanese farmer snow sculpture is taller than me


Snow lanterns

My son was inside the small igloo ;-)


---------------------------------------------------------------------

Hirosaki Snow Lantern Festival

This snow lantern festival was held from February 11 to February 14, 2010. We went last Saturday, Feb 13. This festival began in 1977 is now one of the five biggest snow festivals in Tohoku region (Northern Japan).

The snow lanterns have different sizes and shapes. There are some with pictures of samurai warriors and some come on different odd shapes like the heart and star shaped snow scultures.






Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy Heart's Day







-------------------------------------------------

We went to Hirosaki Castle Park yesterday to see the Lantern Festival, it was awesome!!! Amazing ice sculptures. The weather was nice but of course it was too cold and a bit slippery along the walkway but over all.....I enjoyed it very much!

Since today is Valentine's Day (although I posted this a bit late already) I uploaded the heart shaped snow sculpture.

I will post more photos tomorrow.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Hirosaki Castle- Fall Season

Hirosaki Castle









------------------------------------------------------------

Hirosaki Castle, Nov 7, 2009- Last Saturday we visited the Hirosaki Castle Park to see the glorious beauty of fall foliage and the chrysanthemum festival they have. It was a lovely day even we had snow last Nov. 3, the warm weather came back after 2 days. Hirosaki is a 2 to 2 1/2 hour drive from Misawa Air Base. Hirosaki Castle is very popular during Sakura or Cherry Blossom Festival.





Monday, April 27, 2009

Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival

Cherry Blossom or "sakura" in Japanese




Another shot of sakura





Hirosaki Castle



Another view of Hirosaki Castle



Entrance gate




Another entrance gate





Bridge







Picnic at the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Last Saturday, April 25 we went to Hirosaki Sakura Matsuri or Cherry Blossom Festival, it's about 2 hour- drive from Misawa. It was gloomy and cold last Saturday, and it drizzled around 3pm right after we left the park. By the way last Sunday, it snowed in Misawa, which covered the entire rice field, in front of our house (weird huh??).
The Cherry Blossom Festival is being held every spring in different places in Japan but in Hirosaki it usually starts around last week of April until first week of May but it really depends on the forecast report from Japan Metereological Agency.
Hirosaki park is decorated with 2,600 cherry trees of about 50 different varieties. It is one of the best cherry blossom-viewing spots in Tohoku region in Japan. Within the park is the famous landmark, Hirosaki Castle.
Once cherry blossoms open up, they usually become in full bloom within 10 days. The blooming period of cherry blossoms is about 5-12 days, depending on the kind of cherry trees and the weather.