hirosaki castle, Sakura
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Hirosaki Castle is an hour or so south of Amori by train and famed for its Sakura, which appear at the back end of April. To get there you will have to share an overcrowded train carriage and equally packed bus with other folks who have come just for this. And the this is truly spectacular as you shuffle round the park to gaze at the 360 degree blossom spectacular. The boating lake, the tunnel, and the heart – these are all features you may have read about, and for once the hyperbole is justified. After you have paid homage to Hanami with your odd-food-thing on a stick, it is time to face the queues on your way back; a small price to pay as it happens. As for the castle history, it was built between 1603-1611 but destroyed by fire in 1627 and had to wait for the re-build until 1810. Now, Hirosaki is a sizeable town in Aomori Prefecture.
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Above: the Heart in its 'secret' location. Not so secret that a huge crowd forms jostling for a photo,
with the inevitable duffer standing right up to it to spoil everyone else's shot.
with the inevitable duffer standing right up to it to spoil everyone else's shot.
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