C is for Cherry Blossoms

Japan has the most beautiful Cherry Blossoms. They are known as sakura.    The Japanese cherry blossom tree is not only native to Japan.  The Japanese observed the life cycle of the cherry blossom tree and drew a similitude between the nature of the blossoming tree with human life in general. The cherry blossom tree is one of the most popular good luck symbols in Japanese tradition. They are a bit tricky to plan for because they are very temperamental. First it has to be just the right temperature for the blossoms to come out.  If there is too much wind or rain the leaves come tumbling down.  We saw Cherry Blossoms all over Misawa but we also went to the Hirosaki Castle grounds which is full of cherry trees.  In it's glory it is amazing.  However when we went we saw more blossoms coming and going to Hirosaki than on the grounds.  This was due to the rai and wind we had.

HIROSAKI CASTLE

___Go out the main gate to the second traffic light.
___Turn right and proceed up the street to pole road, turn right onto pole road (by Nagasaki’s)
___Turn left at the first traffic light, route 8.
___If proceeding out the contractor’s gate, you will join route just past here.
___From where the contractor’s gate road joins route 8, proceed down route 8 for 9.9 miles to route 394. ___Turn left onto route 394 at the traffic light. Proceed over the bridge and down the route for .5 miles. ___Turn right here, cross the bridge and proceed down this road.
___In 3.5 miles you will cross route 4.
___At this point you are entering the toll road. In 19 miles you reach the end of the toll road at a t-intersection, at route 44.

___Turn left onto route 44
___Proceed down route 44 for .6 miles to the second traffic light at the y-intersection by the circle k. Take the right fork of the y and proceed to route 4 in .3 miles.

___Turn left onto route 4. Proceed through Aomori to where route 4 ends and route 7 begins, 6.3 miles. ___You will follow route 7 all the way to Hirosaki.
___In 2.2 miles route 7 splits into two directions, proceed straight.
___In another 9.8 miles route 7 turns right. Then left.
___In another 8.8 miles, once in Hirosaki city there will be an off ramp to the left, proceed down it and then turn right under route 7.

___Follow the signs to Hirosaki castle. Pass by the first sign that tells you to turn right to the castle and
proceed down to the t-intersection, 1.5 miles from where you turned off of route 7.

___Turn right here and follow this road to the t-intersection.
___Turn left at the t-intersection and follow the road around the castle grounds to the front entrance.

Unload your passengers here if possible and then seek parking according to traffic officials. If you pay for parking the bus, ask for a receipt, so you can be reimbursed when you return.