Hirosaki Apple Park

Hirosaki City Apple Park is truly an apple theme park, with some 2,300 apple trees of about 80 varieties planted across a vast 9.7-hectare site. From cultivation and harvesting to the sale of processed products, tasting, learning, and scenic views, it is a popular attraction where visitors can enjoy apples with all five senses.

Apple-picking experience (early August to mid-November / fee required)
One of the park’s main attractions is the hand-picking experience held in the “Production Experience Orchard.” Picking fully ripe apples by hand is a special activity that lets you savor the season of apples right at the source.

The varieties available for harvesting change depending on the season, for example:
Late August: “Miki Life” (juicy, with a refreshing sweet-and-tart flavor)
Early to mid-September: “Tsugaru” (crisp texture and pronounced sweetness)
Around November: “Fuji” and “Olin” (Fuji = a balance of sweetness and acidity; Olin = rich aroma and deep sweetness)
Staff will carefully show you how to harvest if needed, so even first-time visitors can feel at ease.

“The Apple House”: an information and souvenir hub
Inside the park, “The Apple House” serves as a visitor center where information and apple-related products come together in one place. The facility offers around 1,200 kinds of items, including sweets, processed foods, and original handicrafts, making it an ideal place to look for souvenirs.

In the light meal and café corner, you can enjoy a variety of menu items such as:
Apple curry
Apple sundae
Apple juice
Cider (apple sparkling alcohol)

Hirosaki Cider Workshop kimori
The park also houses the “Hirosaki Cider Workshop kimori,” a cider brewery. Visitors can observe the production process of cider, an apple-based sparkling alcoholic beverage, through glass, and enjoy tasting as well.
*Viewing days may be limited, so please check the latest information on the official website.

Suribachiyama Observatory: a hill of history and spectacular views
The park’s “Suribachiyama Observatory” is an artificial plateau built in the Edo period for firearms and artillery training. Today it is an excellent viewpoint overlooking the apple orchards. On clear days, you can enjoy a grand panorama of Mount Iwaki, the Tsugaru Mountains, the Hakkoda Range, and the Shirakami Mountains. It is also a perfect spot for photography.

Picnic plan and family-friendly facilities
With the advance reservation-only “Apple Park Picnic Plan,” visitors can line apple crates beneath the apple trees and enjoy a Tsugaru local cuisine lunch box and apple juice served in a charming apple-shaped basket. In spring, picnics can also be enjoyed amid the apple blossoms.

The park also features:
“Fureai Plaza” (with playground equipment)
“Picnic Plaza” (a grassy area)
These make it an ideal destination for families with small children.

The Former Osanai Family Residence and “Tsugaru Storytelling”
The park preserves the Former Osanai Family Residence, a Hirosaki City Tangible Cultural Property, which has been relocated and conserved within the grounds. This Edo-period farmhouse architecture includes exhibits of farming tools and other items that convey the daily life of the time.

In addition, “Tsugaru Storytelling” is held on weekends and public holidays from April to November, with folk tales narrated in the Tsugaru dialect, sharing the region’s culture with visitors.

Annual events
Hirosaki City Apple Park hosts enjoyable events throughout the seasons.

Early May: “Apple Blossom Festival”
Held to coincide with the peak bloom of the apple blossoms. Visitors can enjoy spring sightseeing in Hirosaki together with activities such as apple pie tastings and making original apple crates (the timing also overlaps with the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival).

Early November: “Hirosaki Apple Harvest Festival”
This event is packed with activities to fully enjoy the “autumn of abundance,” including wreath-making workshops using apple branches, all-you-can-pack apples with minor imperfections, and sales of local sweets.

Irregularly held: “Apple Truck Market”
A popular event where local apple farmers bring fresh apples by truck. It is a great opportunity to purchase a wide variety of apples at a bargain.

Hirosaki City Apple Park is a comprehensive apple theme park where visitors can see, experience, taste, and learn. It is recommended for families, apple lovers, and tourists traveling in Tohoku, as well as visitors of all ages.