Hirosaki Apple Park — Attraction in Hirosaki

Visiting Hirosaki Apple Park is a must-do when you visit Hirosaki.

Travelling there : Although it is hard to travel there without a car, most of the time, your hotel or homestay will either guide you there or even drive you there.

Upon entering the apple park, you are greeted with apple trees on both sides of the road.

The Main Event: You should head into the main building and check the apple picking time as it is not usually fixed. You will be allowed to pick a selected breed of apple and a max of 4. You might think 4 is very little, trust me, it is a lot of apples, they are huge.

Side Options: Consider to take some time and rent the bicycle. Riding around the park is very relaxing. There is also a decent-sized play-ground for kids if they do get bored. Lastly, you will be able to learn about every single type of apple worldwide.

Food: The apple ice-cream is great! You really the flavour of the apples in it and the ice-cream is not too sweet. Do also try the cold soup, it is weird but tasty!

Ok, time for the only bad. The apple park only serves food up till 2 pm, after which, you will only be allowed to order sweets and drinks. I ordered the apple pie, thinking that it will be great... I was sorely disappointed. The pie was pre-made and re-heated, the crust was not crispy and the apple was dead.

Overall: It was indeed fun and I would have loved to spend more time there. As you may know, exported Japanese fruits cost a bunch so, pick them fresh here, guaranteed delicious and cheaper... way cheaper

Will I return? Depends on who I am with. If alone, no...

When you think Aomori, apples are the star, and Hirosaki Apple Park lives up to the hype. Spotted this gem online with solid reviews and decided to check it out after a short drive from our hotel. Totally worth it.

Setting (5/5) Absolutely charming. Rows of lush apple trees stretch in every direction, with crisp mountain air and views of the surrounding hills. Felt like stepping into a postcard of rural Japan.

Apple Picking (5/5) Booked a ~30-minute picking session—perfect length. Staff gave clear, friendly instructions on how to twist and pick without damaging the fruit. The apples? Incredible. Crisp, juicy, perfectly sweet with that signature Aomori snap. Ate more than I picked!

Souvenir Shop (4/5) Convenient little shop packed with apple-themed goodies—juices, jams, dried apples, and cute packaging. Picked up a few gifts; prices fair, quality high.

Staff (5/5) Super warm and knowledgeable. Explained apple varieties, growing seasons, and even shared a bit of local apple history. Made the experience fun and educational.

Overall (4.5/5) A joyful, hands-on taste of Aomori’s pride. Family-friendly, relaxing, and delicious. If you’re anywhere near Hirosaki, make time for this—especially in autumn. Highly...

An absolute must-visit if you're in Hirosaki during apple season (August to November) We arrived at 3pm and stayed until 5pm close. We did the apple picking experience where you can pick two apples from the varieties they have available that day. A guide (ours spoke good English) leads you there and shows you how to pick the apples and then lets you choose your two. We picked kiou, sansa and tsuguru apples and they were huge and delicious. They charge you for the weight of the apples - I can't remember how much but it wasn't expensive. Some people may think it's bad value that you can't leave with a whole basket of apples but considering how expensive fruit is in Japan we thought it was a good deal.

It loses a star because it's difficult to get to from central Hirosaki. The buses are very infrequent and the timetable is not easy to find. We caught a taxi there and planned to get the bus back, but found that the last bus had already left well before 4pm (on a Saturday) We ended up walking back to the town centre, which took us about 40 minutes. Cycling there would probably be a good option, or if you have your own car. It's also not great that the cafe closes so early - it was already shut when we...