A Hirosaki festival where chrysanthemums and autumn leaves brighten the season at the historic castle
Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum and Autumn Foliage Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/10/30 〜 2026/11/08Scheduled
- Season / frequency
- Usually from mid-October to early November / Every year
- Location
- Hirosaki Park (main venue: Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden)
- Area
- Aomori Prefecture・Hirosaki City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h–3 h 30 min · bullet train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Highlights and activities
- Participation / viewing
- Open to public participation / spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Individual admission to Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden is 320 yen for high school students and older, and 100 yen for elementary and junior high school students. Groups of 10 or more pay 250 yen for high school students and older, and 80 yen for elementary and junior high school students. The combined admission ticket is 520 yen for high school students and older, and 160 yen for elementary and junior high school students.
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
This autumn festival in Hirosaki is centered on Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden, with chrysanthemum displays, floral art, and illuminated autumn leaves. Events that draw on local culture and nature, including the citizens’ chrysanthemum show and bamboo lights, bring the park to life.
About Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum and Autumn Foliage Festival
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Marho File:Hirosaki Castle chrysanthemum and autumn leaves festival 03.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Marho File:Hirosaki Castle chrysanthemum and autumn leaves festival 01.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Marho File:Hirosaki Castle chrysanthemum and autumn leaves festival 02.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.The Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum and Autumn Foliage Festival celebrates autumn in Hirosaki Park with chrysanthemums and autumn leaves.
Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden is the main venue, featuring floral art and a citizens’ chrysanthemum show where you can enjoy the historic castle scenery alongside seasonal plants.
Special illuminations of the autumn leaves are also held in the evening, offering a different view of the park from daytime.
It is one of Hirosaki’s four major festivals and a signature autumn event for Hirosaki City.
Festival highlights
Highlights include a variety of floral art made with chrysanthemums and the citizens’ chrysanthemum show, where you can admire chrysanthemums grown by local residents.
In 2026, featured works include a collaborative creation by floral artists, Hirosaki Neputa float makers, and local residents; “Pompom Mum Garden,” with wool flowers; and a flower-filled water basin incorporating apples.
In the evening, enjoy bamboo lights, illuminated autumn leaves, and projection mapping with light and sound.
A Hirosaki festival where chrysanthemums and autumn leaves brighten the season at the historic castle
What to expect
Explore Hirosaki Park’s autumn foliage while viewing chrysanthemum displays and floral art.
During the day, there are displays, stalls, exhibitions of photographs and drawings, and attractions for children such as the Little Shinkansen. In the evening, illuminations and projection mapping are added.
During the festival, visitors can also take a sightseeing boat on the inner moat or a sightseeing rickshaw, and join a free volunteer guide tour.
How to take part
You can view the autumn leaves, chrysanthemums, floral art, and more at Hirosaki Park.
In 2026, residents of the city and neighboring municipalities are also being invited to take part in bamboo light-making workshops and setup volunteering.
The workshop is open to elementary school students and older, and setup volunteering is open to university students and older. Advance registration is required for both.
To visit, purchase an admission ticket at the ticket counter at Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden.
In 2026, individual admission is 320 yen for high school students and older, and 100 yen for elementary and junior high school students. Group rates for parties of 10 or more and a combined admission ticket are also available.
To take part in a bamboo light-making workshop or setup volunteering, register in advance using the dedicated form.
Source: 弘前城菊と紅葉まつり｜弘前市観光情報サイト きてみて、ひろさき。ここみて、弘前 / 弘前城菊と紅葉まつり ワークショップ｜弘前市観光情報サイト きてみて、ひろさき。ここみて、弘前
Location and access
- Venue and address
弘前公園（メイン会場：弘前城植物園）、青森県弘前市です。
- Train and bus
The Dotemachi Loop Bus is available.
2026年10月30日から11月8日まではライトアップに合わせ、18:30～20:00に延長運行されます。
Information is also available on using the free parking lots along the Konan Railway lines from their stations.
- Parking
Free parking is available at 9 locations along the Konan Railway Owani and Konan lines.
The number of spaces and hours of use vary by station. The parking lot at Hirosaki Gakuin-dai-mae Station is available only on weekends and public holidays during the festival.
Address Hirosaki Park (main venue: Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden), Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture
Dates and season
The 2026 Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum and Autumn Foliage Festival will be held for 10 days, from October 30 (Friday) to November 8 (Sunday).
The main venue is Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden in Hirosaki Park.
期間中は菊花展やフラワーアート、紅葉のライトアップなどが行われ、プロジェクションマッピングは10月30日から11月8日までの17:30～19:30に実施されます。
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Aomori Prefecture / Hirosaki City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Please take your rubbish home or bring it to a recycling station.
Flying drones without permission is prohibited in Hirosaki Park.
Pets may not be walked in the park, except assistance dogs, but they may enter in a carrier or pet stroller, or be carried.
If you visit the evening illuminations, please check the lighting hours and note that they may change depending on the weather.
Nearby attractions
堀越城
青森県の城・史跡のスポットです。
写真：MChew / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
大森勝山遺跡
青森県弘前市にある縄文時代の環状列石を主体とする集落遺跡
写真：MChew / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
岩木山神社
青森県弘前市にある神社
写真：nnh / Public domain(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
弘前れんが倉庫美術館
青森県弘前市にある現代美術館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
弘前八幡宮
弘前市にある神社
写真：AT@wiki from Japan / CC BY-SA 2.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
弘前公園
青森県弘前市にある公園
写真：Feri88 / CC BY 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
弘前市立博物館
青森県弘前市にある博物館
写真：663highland / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
弘前市立郷土文学館
青森県弘前市にある文学館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
揚亀園
青森県弘前市の津軽藩ねぷた村にある日本庭園
写真：663highland / CC BY 2.5(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
旧第五十九銀行本店本館
青森県弘前市にある歴史的建造物
写真：Kaburamata / CC0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
津軽藩ねぷた村
青森県弘前市にある観光施設
写真：津軽藩ねぷた村 / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
瑞楽園
青森県の公園・庭園のスポットです。
写真：MChew / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum and Autumn Foliage Festival
The festival’s predecessor was a viewing party where people brought chrysanthemums for contests and other activities.
This developed into the first “Chrysanthemum and Autumn Leaves Festival,” held in 1962.
In 1988, the main venue moved from Shino-no-maru to Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden, and in 2002 the event was renamed the “Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum and Autumn Foliage Festival.”
Source: 弘前城菊と紅葉まつり - Wikipedia
Official information
You can find details on the event, highlights at the venue, illuminations, transport information, workshops, and more in the “Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum and Autumn Foliage Festival” guide on the Hirosaki City Tourism Information website.
Details of the 2026 festival dates, admission fees, and events at the venue are provided.
Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum and Autumn Foliage Festival at a Glance
The Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum and Autumn Foliage Festival is an autumn festival where you can enjoy chrysanthemums and autumn leaves in Hirosaki Park, along with floral art, a citizens’ chrysanthemum show, and evening illuminations.
In 2026, it will be held from October 30 to November 8, with Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden as the main venue.
Enjoy different scenes during the day’s displays and the evening light shows, as well as activities for exploring the park, including boat rides and guided tours.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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