【青森】絶対行きたい弘前おすすめ観光スポット6選
Hello. I’m Taka from Zipang55. I’m currently at Aomori Airport. This time, I’d like to introduce some recommended spots in Hirosaki, famous for the Sakura Festival and Neputa Festival. I’ll introduce these recommended tourist spots and restaurants in order. I think you’ll have many opportunities to visit for the two festivals, so I hope this will be helpful. Also, on this trip, I’m planning to stay at Kai Tsugaru and Oirase Keiryu Hotel by Hoshino Resorts. I’ll introduce that in the next video, so please check that out too. This channel mainly introduces hotels and introduces tourist spots in various places. It will encourage me to make videos, so I would be happy if you could subscribe to the channel and rate it highly. So, let’s introduce it right away. The first thing I’d like to introduce is Neputa Village. It is a facility that introduces the Neputa Festival, a summer specialty of Hirosaki. It is about a 10-minute drive from Hirosaki Station and a 10-minute walk from Hirosaki Castle. Inside the building, you can hear live Tsugaru shamisen performances and learn about the difference between the Neputa Festival and the Neputa Festival. It’s the perfect place to experience the culture of not only Hirosaki but also Aomori. The price is 600 yen per adult. There were many live Tsugaru shamisen performances. The number of performances seems to vary depending on the day of the week and the season, so please check when you visit. Now, let’s explain the Neputa Festival and listen to the live Tsugaru shamisen performance. It is a festival held in about 40 areas. Outside the prefecture, it is held in a wide range of areas, from Hokkaido in the north to Kagoshima in the south. It seems that festivals outside the prefecture are held in some areas in sister cities of Aomori Prefecture or for town revitalization. Festivals within the prefecture are held in various places from late July to mid-August. Among them, I would like to introduce about three major festivals. The first one is the Aomori Nebuta in Aomori City. It is a large one with a width of about 7 to 8 meters. And it is characterized by the dancers called Haneto who stand in front of the Nebuta. They jump and dance while shouting “rassera”. It takes about two hours. It seems that some people lose about 4 kg in a day. Some of the haneto are walking, so I hope that people will not be disappointed when they see them walking, but will look at them with a kind heart and realize that they are tired. This is called a mirror painting, and it represents the momentum that summer has come to Tsugaru. On the back side, a beautiful woman is often depicted. This is called an omikure-e, and it is imbued with the meaning of regretting or seeing off the short summer of Tsugaru. The Neputa here in Hirosaki is a single lantern, and the front and back sides show the arrival and passing of summer. Hirosaki is also home to the largest number of Neputa participating groups in the prefecture. Last year, there were 65 groups, about three times as many as the Aomori Nebuta. This year, 68 groups are scheduled to participate, so when you come to see it, I hope you will look at the many fronts and backs and find a picture that you like. They also performed on the taiko drums and flutes that are actually used in the Neputa Festival. Next was a performance of the Tsugaru shamisen. The name of the region, “Tsugaru,” is placed before the shamisen. Originally, blind people in Aomori Prefecture were the first to start playing the shamisen. The culture of Tsugaru shamisen itself was seen locally as a lowly culture practiced by discriminated people. When a man named Takahashi Chikusen appeared on the radio 70 years ago, Tsugaru shamisen spread all over Japan at once. Aomori shamisen began to attract attention as being wonderful. Tsugaru shamisen playing has a technique of hitting the drumstick to make a loud sound. Not only hitting, but also returning the drum after hitting makes a sound. The left hand is used in between making sounds with the drumstick. Not only suppressing, but also plucking the strings with the fingers of the left hand makes a sound. This is the point to clap. When the technique of the left hand is transformed to make fine sounds and the song becomes more intense, it is called “kamashi”. This is the point where you should clap. The reason is that the word “kamasu” is often heard in Tsugaru dialect. In Tsugaru dialect, it means “mix”. Tsugaru shamisen was popular during World War II, and many people evacuated to Aomori Prefecture. Each person came to Aomori at a difficult time. When they heard the traditional sound of the Tsugaru shamisen, they deliberately mixed two extreme emotions: the negative emotion of pain and the positive emotion of joy. The culture of clapping was born to show that everyone should share and overcome the pain. It was a wonderful performance. It was a good explanation about Neputa and the Tsugaru shamisen. If you visit, please join in. Inside the museum, the floats and other items used in the actual Neputa Festival are on display. They are very beautifully painted. Books published at the end of the Edo period were also on display. It seems that Neputa artists used these pictures as references when painting. It seems that there were ninjas in Hirosaki, and ninja tools were also on display. The place that was used as a rice storehouse for the Hirosaki domain has been renovated and crafts and other items are sold here. The building has a very nice atmosphere. The tops were also made on the spot. They were cute tops that you could spin by hand. You could also try out the tops that were used for gambling. You choose the direction of east-west, north-south and a number from 1 to 6, and if you guessed right you would receive a top. Participation was free. You could also see how crafts are made, which was interesting. There was also a courtyard along the way. There were beautiful carp swimming in the pond. You could feed them. At the end there was a souvenir shop selling specialties from Aomori and Tohoku, so it was a good place to buy souvenirs. They also sold hand-baked rice crackers, a Tsugaru specialty. You could eat hot rice crackers for 150 yen each. They were fragrant and very delicious, so I recommend it. The facility was well-equipped and very worth seeing. If you come to Hirosaki, please stop by. Next, I would like to introduce Hirosaki Castle. It is about a 10-minute walk from Neputa Village. Hirosaki Castle was built by the Tsugaru clan in 1611, in the early Edo period. It is also famous as a cherry blossom viewing spot, with about 2,600 cherry trees blooming in spring, and is said to have the best cherry blossoms in Japan. The area around the castle is maintained as a park, so it is crowded with many tourists during the Sakura Festival. Originally, there was a five-story castle tower, but it was burned down by lightning in 1627, and what remains today is a three-story castle tower rebuilt in 1810. Throughout the Edo period, it was used as the political and military center of the Hirosaki domain, and was the residence of the Tsugaru clan. In the Meiji period, the role of the castle ended with the abolition of the domains and the establishment of prefectures, but it was maintained as Hirosaki Park, and many historical buildings remain to this day . Currently, it is loved by many tourists as a rare castle with the only “surviving castle tower” remaining in the Tohoku region. The admission fee is 320 yen per person. This is the castle tower. Unlike other castles, it does not have a castle tower with towering stone walls, so it looks a little small. Inside, there were panels explaining the history and items used at the time, but there were not many of them. The top is not so high, so you can’t see the whole view. There was also a model of the palace from that time. It doesn’t remain now, but it seems to have been quite large. During the Sakura Festival, the area around the castle tower is also decorated with cherry blossoms. Be sure to take a stroll around the castle tower and the park during the festival. There are also buildings from the Meiji period around Hirosaki Castle. At the Former To-o Gijuku Foreign Teachers’ House, you can see the Western-style building where foreign missionaries from the first private school to open in the prefecture lived. There is also a cafe inside, so you can get a feel for the atmosphere of the time. You can visit the study, bedroom, children’s room, etc. for free. It is a valuable building that shows how foreigners lived in Hirosaki during the Meiji period. Next to it, you can see miniature reproductions of buildings that were in Hirosaki city. They are all cute. In front of the Western-style building, there was also a free facility where floats were exhibited. Floats that imitated parts of myths and old tales were on display. There wasn’t much on display, but it was impressive and interesting. Nearby is the former 59th Bank Head Office Main Building. You can tour inside for 200 yen. The 59th National Bank was a national bank established in 1879. The original building has been moved and is now open as the Aomori Bank Memorial Hall. You can see inside the building at the time, so you can enjoy the retro atmosphere. There are panels explaining the bank. You can see the decorations inside the museum, but there wasn’t much on display, so if you’re interested, please go inside. There wasn’t much on display, so if you’re interested, please go inside. Next, we’ll move a little to the Sannai-Maruyama Ruins. It’s a 45-minute drive from Hirosaki Station or an hour by train. It ‘s closer to Aomori City, but I highly recommend it, so I’d like to introduce it to you today. The Sannai-Maruyama Ruins is one of the largest large-scale Jomon settlements in Japan, located in Aomori City. It flourished about 5,900 to 4,200 years ago (early to middle Jomon periods). In 2021, it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a component asset of the “Jomon Ruins in Hokkaido and Northern Tohoku”. There are many buses from Aomori City, so it’s easy to access. Business hours vary depending on the season, but it is open from 9:00 to 18:00, with the last admission being 30 minutes before closing. There are also free guided tours, which take about 50 minutes. This time I visited late, so I was only able to participate in the final explanation. This tour explains the contents of the ruins in great detail, so I highly recommend joining. This is a model of the settlement at that time. It’s a pretty big settlement. The Sannai-Maruyama ruins are quite large, and it takes about 30 minutes just to look at the ruins and reconstructions outside, but about an hour if you want to take your time. At the Sannai-Maruyama ruins, the remains of pit dwellings and large dwellings have been found. In addition to typical dwellings, large pit dwellings up to 32 meters in height have also been discovered, and it is assumed that they were used as meeting places and communal workshops. Excavations are still ongoing. Here you can see reproductions of pit dwellings and large dwellings. The signs at each facility have explanations, so it was easy to understand. The positions of the pillars and hearths in the dwellings have changed over time. Many relics have been found in places where stone tools and pottery were discarded. When I visited, only half of the large pit dwelling was visible due to renovation work, but you can get a good idea of its size. It seems that they are reproducing it as faithfully as possible based on the results of the excavation survey. The charred pillars are made by slightly burning the chestnut wood to prevent it from rotting. The post-hole building is made of six chestnut pillars, each about 1 meter in diameter, buried in the ground. It is estimated to be 20 meters tall, and it is believed that advanced surveying techniques were used in its construction. There are no documents, so it is unclear what it was used for. There are various theories, such as it was used as a watchtower, a village marker, or for religious ceremonies. It is amazing that such a huge building was built during the Jomon period. This is the actual excavated hole. It is quite a huge hole. It is impressive to see it in person. There were also other post-hole buildings and adult graves, so there was a lot to see. It is still unclear why so many people gathered in this village and then left. One theory is that it was because the cold weather made it difficult to get food. It would be great if future research could provide more details. I was able to get a first-hand experience of what life was like at that time. Listening to the guided tour by the volunteer staff will help you understand better, so please join us. We were able to see the exhibits of excavated items in the museum. It is a rare opportunity to see relics from several thousand years ago in the Jomon period. Approximately 2,000 pieces of pottery and clay figurines have been excavated. Pottery designated as important cultural properties is also on display. There were many stone tools like those seen in textbooks. Wood used at the time was also discovered. Many animal bones were also discovered, and you can see the life of that time. You can see a large amount of pottery, which is impressive. It is amazing how small fragments are put together to recreate pottery. There is also a basket pouch, and it is amazing that such things were used at that time. There are pottery of various sizes, some with funny faces. There was also pottery used for children’s graves. The exhibits were very easy to understand, so please take a look at the exhibits in the museum. There was also an experience corner, so it can be enjoyed by both children and adults. If you come early, you will be able to participate in various activities. There are also various souvenirs for sale, so you may want to buy some here. It is a well-equipped facility that you would not believe costs only 500 yen, so please visit it. Next, we will introduce some recommended restaurants. The first restaurant we will introduce is Restaurant Yamazaki in Hirosaki City. It is about a 6-minute drive from Hirosaki Station. It is a French restaurant that serves dishes using apples. It serves dishes using the “miracle apples” that have been talked about on TV. We especially recommend the cold apple soup. Desserts are also available for a fee, but you can change the contents and order them. This time I ordered the service lunch and changed the soup to cold apple soup. The “miracle apples” are apples shipped from Mr. Kimura’s farm, where apples are grown without pesticides, which was said to be impossible. This restaurant serves dishes using the miracle apples, which are shipped in small numbers. They are especially famous for their apple karinto sweets. First, we were served tapas made with bread and pickled apples. If you don’t change the apple dishes, the service lunch had few dishes using apples. This is the cold apple soup. The apple flavor was well-balanced and it was very delicious. It is easy to see why so many people visit for this soup. It’s a shame that you can’t order it by itself. When the bread ran out, they offered a different type of bread. This is the main dish, sea bass. I also changed it for 550 yen, but it was just a delicious sea bass dish and didn’t make a big impact. If you want to enjoy apples, you might want to order the apple full course. I also changed the final dessert to apple pie. This was also delicious, but the cold soup was too good, so it didn’t leave much of an impression. The restaurant gets crowded, so I recommend making a reservation in advance. Enjoy a slightly luxurious lunch. There was also a Western-style pastry shop next to the restaurant. They serve sweets made with miracle apples. The miracle apple karinto was quite delicious, so it’s also recommended as a souvenir. They also sold it at Aomori Airport, so you might want to buy it there. The dishes served at the restaurant were also sold frozen. If you can’t go to the restaurant, it might be a good idea to just stop by this Western-style pastry shop. Next, I’d like to introduce Toda Uchiwa Mochi Shop. It is about a 6-minute drive from Hirosaki Station. This is a long-established mochi shop that has been in business for over 100 years, and is loved by many people, from locals to tourists. It started as a noodle factory in the Meiji era, and after the war, it started operating at its current location as a mochi specialty shop. They sell three types of mochi: Mame Daifuku, Kushimochi, and Uchiwamochi. Uchiwamochi is the origin of the store’s name, and is made by skewering thinly sliced mochi to resemble a fan. It is a “honey-filled” type soaked in plenty of rich black sesame sauce, and is rich in flavor and addictive. The mochi is made in the morning, does not contain preservatives, and is recommended to be consumed on the same day, so it is a taste that can only be eaten here. Kushimochi is a dumpling-shaped mochi covered in black honey sauce. This is also a popular staple. Domestic raw sesame is roasted and rubbed in the store to make a secret sauce. It sells out in the afternoon, so we recommend purchasing it early. So, what did you think of this “Recommended Tourist Spots in Hirosaki”? Please refer to it when you visit. I hope this video will be of some help to you on your trip. Please subscribe to my channel, give me a thumbs up, and give me a super thanks, as it will encourage me to continue making videos. Thank you for watching until the end. See you in the next video~Goodbye ~
*多言語字幕対応しています。
今回は弘前を中心に、青森のおすすめ観光スポットをご紹介します。
00:00 opening
00:07 青森空港
1:05 ねぷた村
10:54 弘前城
12:59 弘前城周辺施設
14:48 三内丸山遺跡
20:36 レストラン山崎
23:22 戸田うちわ餅店
24:37 ending
【関連動画】
・星野リゾート青森屋
・人生で一度は見たい「ねぶた祭り」を徹底解説
【情報】
・弘前観光スポット
https://www.hirosaki-kanko.or.jp
・三内丸山遺跡
https://sannaimaruyama.pref.aomori.jp
・レストラン山崎
https://tabelog.com/aomori/A0202/A020201/2000326/
・戸田うちわ餅店
https://tabelog.com/aomori/A0202/A020201/2005248/
このチャンネルは47都道府県を旅した、旅好きTakaがホテル紹介を中心に日本の魅力をご紹介しています。
*紹介してほしい場所や文化があれば、ぜひコメントください。
【SNS】
・instagram
https://www.instagram.com/zipang55/
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
【プロフィール】
47都道府県、世界30ヵ国を旅したTakaが旅行の魅力を発信中‼︎
ホテル紹介を中心に「地元人が通う場所」「グルメ」「空港」「駅」など文化や歴史を交えながら役立つ情報をお届けします‼︎
せっかく旅行するなら存分に楽しんでもらいたい‼︎
そんな思いで動画作りをしています。
お得な旅行情報をお届けしますので、チャンネル登録頂けると嬉しいです。
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
#Japan＃travel#英語字幕＃ジパング55#ZIPANG55＃弘前観光＃弘前＃弘前グルメ＃ねぷた＃りんご＃津軽三味線＃アップルパイ＃奇跡のりんご＃縄文＃縄文土器＃弘前城
音声：VOICEVOX「剣崎雌雄」