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Hirosaki (弘前市 Hirosaki-shi) is a city located in southwest Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is a castle town and was the Tsugaru clan ruled the 100,000 koku tozama han Hirosaki Domain from Hirosaki Castle during the Edo period. The city is currently a regional commercial center and the largest producer of apples in Japan[citation needed]. The city government has been promoting the catchphrase "Apple Colored Town Hirosaki", and "Castle and Cherry Blossom and Apple Town" to promote the city image.
[edit] GeographyHirosaki is located in southwest Aomori Prefecture, in the Tsugaru plains in the souther Tsugaru Peninsula, south of Mount Iwaki and bordering on Akita Prefecture [edit] ClimateHirosaki has a cold maritime climate with short cool summers, and very severe winters. [edit] Neighbouring municipalities
[edit] HistoryThe area around Hirosaki was part of the domains of the Northern Fujiwara in the Heian period, and were awarded to the Nambu clan by Minamoto Yoritomo after the defeat of the Northern Fujiwara in the early Kamakura period. During the Sengoku period, a local retainer of the Nambu, Ōura Tamenobu declared his independence in 1571, and seized local castles. He assisted Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the Battle of Odawara in 1590, and was confirmed in his holdings with revenues of 45,000 koku. He also changed his name to Tsugaru. After siding with Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Sekigahara, his revenues increased to 47,000 koku and he began construction of a castle in Takaoka (present day Hirosaki). The castle was completed in 1611 by his successor, Tsugaru Nobuhira, but its massive 5-story donjon was lost to lightning in 1627. The domain’s revenues increased to 100,000 koku in 1628. In 1808, Takaoka was renamed Hirosaki. The Tsugaru clan sided with the Satchō Alliance in the Boshin War of the Meiji Restoration, and was rewarded by the new Meiji government with an additional 10,000 koku. However, with the abolition of the han system on August 29, 1871, Hirosaki Domain was abolished, and replaced by Hirosaki Prefecture. The Prefecture was renamed Aomori Prefecture in October of the same year, and the prefectural capital was relocated to the more centrally located Aomori. Chōyō Elementary School was established on October 1, 1873. Apple horticulture was introduced to Hirosaki from 1877 and the 59th National Bank, the predecessor of Aomori Bank opened in March 1878. Hirosaki was proclaimed a city on April 1, 1889 and was thus one of the first 30 cities in Japan. The Ōu Main Line connected Hirosaki with Aomori on December 1, 1894. Hirosaki became the home garrison town for the Imperial Japanese Army’s IJA 8th Division from October, 1898. The division was prominently active in the Russo-Japanese War. Hirosaki City Hospital was established in 1901, and Hirosaki City Library in 1906. The first telephone service in the city stated from 1909. The first Cherry Blossom Festival was held in 1918. In 1927, the Kōnan Railway connected Hirosaki with Onoe. Hirosaki University was established in 1949. On March 1, 1955 Hirosaki expanded through annexation of neighboring villages of Shimizu, Wattoku, Toyoda, Horikoshi, Chitose, Fujishiro, Niina, Funazawa, Takasugi, Susono, and Higashimeya. Nishimeya became an enclave. The city further expanded on September 1, 1957 through annexation of neighboring Ishikawa village. The First Chrysanthemum and Maple Festival was held in 1964 and the First Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival in 1977. In 1979, the city was connected to the Tōhoku Expressway by a spur road named “Apple Road”. On November 15, 2006, Hirosaki merged with the neighboring town of Iwaki and village of Sōma-mura  [edit] Economy
[edit] CultureHirosaki is known for its tradition of Tsugaru-jamisen, a virtuosic style of shamisen playing. [edit] Education[edit] Transportation[edit] Railways
[edit] Highways[edit] Tourist attractionsHirosaki is famous for its Cherry Blossom Festival held in the park surrounding Hirosaki Castle. About 2,600 Sakura (Japanese cherry) blossom during the Japanese Golden Week vacation period. The Hirosaki Nebuta Festival is held during the first week of August. The town is also noted for a large number of western-style buildings dating to the Meiji period. [edit] Noted people from Hirosaki
[edit] External links
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