🏮 Hirosaki Jo Yukidoro Matsuri

弘前城雪燈籠まつり

Hirosaki, Aomori (Hirosaki Park) · Every year on 25 February

Snow festival

164 days to go
Rooms around Hirosaki, Aomori fill up while the festival is on.

The Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival is a winter festival held at Hirosaki Park (the nationally designated historic site Hirosaki Castle Ruins) in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture. About 150 snow lanterns of various sizes, handmade by citizens, are placed throughout the park, and around the lotus pond about 300 mini kamakura (snow huts) with lit candles are lined up, creating a fantasy of snow and light. The festival started in 1977 and has continued with citizens' handmade efforts, born from the wish to enjoy the long, harsh winter of the northern country. Highlights include the fantastical night scenery of the snow-covered castle keep and old pines illuminated. At the main venue, Ninomaru, large snow statues modeled after historical buildings and a large slide are set up, and various events for enjoying snow are held. Hirosaki Castle and the snow lanterns floating in the light depict a profound and poetic winter scene.

Getting there

From JR Hirosaki Station to Hirosaki Park is about 30 minutes on foot, or about 10 minutes by Hirosaki City Bus or Konan Bus, get off at 'Shiyakusho-mae' and it is immediately there. By car, about 20 minutes from the Tohoku Expressway Owani-Hirosaki IC, and there are paid parking lots nearby.