On April 5, the Hirosaki Tourism and Convention Bureau (Shimoshiroganecho, Hirosaki City) announced the contents of a collaboration with the official support character "Sakura Miku" of the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival.

Sakura Miku is a character derived from the virtual idol "Hatsune Miku". Since the Sakura Festival in 2019 (Heisei 31), he has been appointed as an official support character, and this year is the third year. Initially, the term was two years, but the term was extended due to the new coronavirus.

This year, with "sound" and "voice" as key points, the theme song for the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival, "Waiting for Spring," was announced. A welcome announcement by Hatsune Miku will be broadcast in Hirosaki City, centering on Hirosaki Park.

"Waiting for Spring" is a pop song inspired by the cherry blossoms of Hirosaki, and uses musical instruments such as the Tsugaru shamisen in the song. Doujin music writer "Polyphonic Branch" is in charge of music production, and videos that interweave the illustrations used in the past three years and the scenery of Hirosaki are distributed on YouTube's Hatsune Miku official channel. The welcome announcement is scheduled for about 30 seconds and will be announced at the opening of the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival.

The guidebook published annually at the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival will be sold this year as "The 101st Sakura to Enjoy with Sakura Miku". It mainly introduces past illustrations and the places where they were set, and the contents are such that you can enjoy "pilgrimage to sacred places". A4 size, all colors, 32 pages in total. The price is 660 yen. Released on April 9th.

The Hirosaki Commercial Federation and the city's shopping district will set up strip posters and flags using eight types of illustrations, and will sell collaborative products with Sakura Miku with local companies. The already announced British toast of Kudo Bread (Aomori City) is part of that. Character goods are sold in advance in Hirosaki. This year, it will be sold at the Loft Hirosaki store as well as at tourist facilities.

The stamp rally that was held until last year became a digital check-in rally using the smartphone app "Miku Navi" from the viewpoint of infectious disease control, and the ongoing operation of Miku taxi and Konan Railway's Miku wrapping train, at the west exit entrance of Hirosaki station The large panels installed will be installed during the festival.

Daigo Shirato, the secretary general of the Hirosaki Tourism Convention Association, said, "We are making preparations so that everyone can enjoy it after taking measures against infectious diseases. There are unpublished collaborations, and we are preparing various mechanisms, so the Sakura Festival Not only that, I hope you enjoy Hirosaki in collaboration with Sakura Miku. "

The Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival is from April 23rd to May 5th.