In Hirosaki Park, the "flower raft" where scattered petals of cherry blossoms float on the surface of the water is in full bloom, and most of the visitors who visit the site are pointing at the camera.

The Hirosaki Sakura Festival will be held from April 23rd. Yoshino cherry trees that are in full bloom on 27th have begun to fall, and the petals are beginning to float on the surface of the outer moat of Hirosaki Park. This is a phenomenon called flower raft, and is a seasonal word that compares petals to rafts. When the petals laid out on the surface of the water looked like pink carpets, the spectators who stopped their feet screamed.

The cherry blossoms in the garden use the apple pruning technology, which boasts the highest production in Japan. Therefore, a Yoshino cherry tree usually has only 4 to 5 flowers in one tuft, but a Yoshino cherry tree in the same garden sometimes has 7 flowers. It is said that Hirosaki's cherry blossoms are the most beautiful in Japan, and it is no exaggeration to say that the number of petals is the best in Japan.

According to the city's Park and Greenery Division, the water from the outer moat of the park is retained during the "Sakura Festival". “The cherry blossom petals turn earthy in a few days, so when the discoloration begins, we start draining the water from the outer moat,” says Kobayashi of the department. Water flows counterclockwise from the outer moat on the southwest side near Hirosaki Civic Center, and flows from the outer moat in the northwest to the Iwaki River.

In the park, cherry trees such as Yaebenishidare and Kanzan begin to bloom, and you can enjoy cherry blossom viewing even during the latter half of Golden Week. The Hirosaki Sakura Festival is open until May 6th.