Festival Highlights and Main Attractions
The festival is generally held from mid-October to early November, when the autumn colors are at their most impressive. During this period, the botanical garden is filled with creative displays featuring chrysanthemums and other seasonal decorations.
One of the most distinctive attractions is the combination of traditional Neputa artwork and chrysanthemum figures. Visitors can also see large-scale floral displays depicting famous local landmarks and scenery, including Mount Iwaki and five-story pagodas.
Other attractions include chrysanthemum topiaries shaped like animals, a chrysanthemum exhibition featuring flowers cultivated by local residents, stage performances, and even a miniature train. With activities suitable for children and adults alike, the festival offers much more than a simple autumn foliage viewing.
The History of the Festival
The origins of the Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum and Autumn Leaves Festival can be traced back to a local tradition known as Kanfukai, or gatherings to appreciate the autumn foliage.
In earlier times, local people would gather during the autumn season to enjoy the changing leaves while bringing chrysanthemums they had carefully cultivated themselves. These flowers were displayed and judged in informal competitions, creating a community event centered around both horticulture and the beauty of autumn.
This tradition eventually developed into an official festival. In 1962 (Showa 37), the event was formally established as the Chrysanthemum and Autumn Leaves Festival. Since then, it has continued for more than half a century as an important cultural event representing autumn in Hirosaki.
The festival therefore offers more than beautiful scenery. It also provides an opportunity to experience a long-standing local tradition in which residents, gardening enthusiasts, artists, and visitors come together to celebrate the season.
Beautiful Chrysanthemum Displays
Chrysanthemums are one of the central attractions of the festival. The exhibition features a wide variety of carefully cultivated flowers, including large-flowered chrysanthemums, medium-flowered chrysanthemums, and cascading chrysanthemums.
The carefully arranged flowers create an impressive display of color and form. Elaborate chrysanthemum figures and floral artworks are also exhibited, making the festival especially appealing to visitors interested in Japanese gardening and traditional flower culture.
Chrysanthemums have a long history in Japanese culture and are associated with elegance, longevity, and the changing seasons. Seeing these flowers displayed alongside the historic castle grounds provides a particularly Japanese autumn experience.
Autumn Foliage in Hirosaki Park
The autumn leaves are another major attraction. Hirosaki Park is home to approximately 1,100 maple trees and 2,600 cherry trees, many of which turn brilliant shades of red and yellow during autumn.
The contrast between the colorful trees, the white walls of Hirosaki Castle, traditional gates, stone walls, and surrounding moats creates an exceptionally picturesque landscape. While Hirosaki is famous throughout Japan for its spectacular cherry blossoms in spring, its autumn scenery offers an equally memorable experience.
One particularly notable tree is the Neagari Ginkgo Tree, an ancient ginkgo with exposed roots that is believed to be more than 300 years old. It is one of the many photogenic trees found throughout the park.
Simply walking through Hirosaki Park during the festival can be a rewarding experience. The combination of historic architecture and colorful autumn foliage creates countless opportunities for photography and leisurely sightseeing.
Autumn Night Illuminations
One of the festival’s most magical attractions is the special autumn foliage illumination. After sunset, selected areas of Hirosaki Park are illuminated until approximately 9:00 p.m., creating a completely different atmosphere from the daytime scenery.
The illuminated autumn leaves glow against the night sky, while Hirosaki Castle, the surrounding moats, and other historic features take on a mysterious appearance.
Another highlight is Nishiki no Akari, or the “Brocade Lights,” which incorporates traditional Neputa artwork into the nighttime illumination. The colorful designs and autumn leaves create an atmospheric scene that combines Hirosaki’s summer festival culture with its autumn traditions.
For visitors with time, it is highly recommended to explore the festival both during the day and after dark. The same trees and buildings can look remarkably different depending on the lighting and time of day.
Best Photo Opportunities
The festival offers numerous locations for photography. One popular approach is to photograph the autumn leaves with the castle tower or traditional turrets in the background.
The reflections of colorful trees and chrysanthemums on the park’s moats can also create beautiful compositions. The contrast between vivid autumn colors and the traditional architecture of Hirosaki Castle makes the area particularly attractive to photographers.
Night photography is another highlight. Illuminated maple trees, castle structures, moats, and Neputa-inspired displays create a completely different visual experience after sunset.
Experience Local Culture Through the Chrysanthemum Exhibition
The festival also provides an opportunity to experience the culture of the local community. At the citizens’ chrysanthemum exhibition, flowers carefully cultivated by residents of Hirosaki are displayed for visitors to enjoy.
Each flower reflects the time, care, and horticultural skills of the person who grew it. For international visitors, this exhibition offers an interesting glimpse into the Japanese tradition of cultivating and appreciating seasonal flowers.
Rather than being only a tourist attraction, the festival remains closely connected to the local community. This combination of professional displays and citizen participation is one of the characteristics that makes the event special.
Why Visit the Festival in Autumn?
For travelers visiting northern Japan, autumn is an especially attractive season in Hirosaki. The weather is generally cool and comfortable for walking, while the trees and gardens provide spectacular seasonal scenery.
The Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum and Autumn Leaves Festival brings together several aspects of Hirosaki’s cultural identity: historic castle architecture, Japanese flower culture, autumn foliage, Neputa traditions, and local community life.
Visitors who have already experienced Hirosaki’s famous cherry blossoms may find the autumn season particularly rewarding. Instead of pink cherry blossoms, the city is transformed into a landscape of deep red, golden yellow, orange, and colorful chrysanthemums.
Access to Hirosaki Park
The festival is held at Hirosaki Park, including the Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden, in the central part of Hirosaki City.
From JR Hirosaki Station, the park can be reached by bus in approximately 15 minutes. Get off at the Shiyakusho-mae Koen-iriguchi bus stop, from where the park is only a short walk away.
For visitors traveling by car, the Owani-Hirosaki Interchange on the Tohoku Expressway is approximately 30 minutes away by car.
A Wonderful Way to Experience Hirosaki in Autumn
The Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum and Autumn Leaves Festival is one of the best ways to experience the beauty and culture of Hirosaki during the autumn season.
Brilliant maple and cherry trees surround the historic castle grounds, while carefully cultivated chrysanthemums and creative floral displays add vivid colors to the landscape. During the evening, special illuminations transform the park into an enchanting world of light and autumn foliage.
Whether you are interested in Japanese gardens, traditional culture, historic architecture, photography, or seasonal scenery, the festival offers something memorable. Take a leisurely walk through Hirosaki Park during the day, admire the chrysanthemum displays, and return after sunset to experience the illuminated autumn landscape.
For anyone traveling through northern Japan in autumn, this festival is a wonderful opportunity to discover a different side of Hirosaki—one filled with colorful leaves, elegant chrysanthemums, local traditions, and the timeless beauty of its historic castle.