A relaxing and spectacular view during the rainy season! The hydrangeas from "Great Buddha Park" are beautiful! [Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture]

What is Hirosaki City's Great Buddha Park?

Daibutsu Park in Hirosaki City is a place where cherry blossoms bloom in the spring and hydrangeas bloom in the early summer. This is where Ishikawa Castle, also known as Daibutsu- ga-hana Castle, located, and was conquered by Oura Narinobu (Tsugaru Narinobu). Apparently it got its name from its resemblance to the nose of the reclining Great Buddha, and is now beloved by locals as Daibutsu Park. Although it's called a park, from a distance it looks like a small hill. There are 33 Kannon statues hidden within the rugged park, so it would be fun to stroll around and look for them.

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I went to Daibutsu Park, a famous spot for hydrangeas

I went to Daibutsu Park, where the hydrangeas are about to reach their peak. I'll also share information about parking and the park, so please feel free to use it as a reference

Entrance from the parking lot

Daibutsu Park is a 10-minute walk from Ishikawa Station. Parking lot No. 1 is right in front of the park, but if it's full you can park in parking lot No. 2

As you go up the stairs, there is an explanation of Daibutsu Park, including the origin of its name. If you stand in front of this park, you can see Mt. Iwaki

Unfortunately, it was drizzling on the day we visited, but on a clear day, Mt. Iwaki would be even more visible! There are apple orchards all around, giving the impression of the original landscape of Tsugaru

After climbing a little, you will find a map of the route to visit Ishikawa Thirty-three Kannon Temples on your right. You will climb the stone steps you can see on the right of the photo, but as you can see, they are quite steep. There is moss growing on them, so they look slippery, so please be careful when climbing

Park map

Here is a map of Daibutsu Park. There are about 200 cherry trees planted around the multipurpose plaza, making it a popular hidden cherry blossom spot. There are also hydrangeas planted throughout the park, totaling about 2,500! Although they are different types, if you consider that Hirosaki Park, which is hailed as the best in Japan, has about 2,600 cherry trees, you can see just how many hydrangeas Daibutsu Park has

The planting of hydrangeas began around 1972. At the time, a Hirosaki City Council member received hydrangea seedlings from a relative and planted them in Daibutsu Park, and the Ishikawa neighborhood association president, who loved flowers, also grew and planted the seedlings, which led to the area becoming known as a famous hydrangea spot

The best time to see hydrangeas is from early July to late August . A hydrangea festival is held to coincide with the flowers' blooming, and it will be held from July 1st (Monday) to July 31st (Wednesday)

Please note that fireworks and bonfires are prohibited within the park, and dogs and cats are also not allowed inside

Park facilities

There is a multi-purpose plaza right inside the entrance. It is recommended for families as it has play equipment, drinking fountains, and benches. There were families there on the day we visited, but it was drizzling so they left soon after

There was also a vending machine in the square, and a trash can nearby. In recent years, where to throw away trash has become an issue, so it's nice to have a trash can

There are toilets, but you will need to bring your own toilet paper as they are not available except during the cherry blossom and hydrangea seasons

To the observation plaza

Continuing along the path, we came across a slightly smaller plaza than the multipurpose plaza. This is a cherry blossom viewing area where you can enjoy the view of around 200 cherry trees in the spring. There are also covered benches, making it a great place to take a break

Going further in, we finally arrived at the observation plaza. It took about 5 minutes from the entrance. It was a bit steep, but the view that spread out before us was soothing

With rice fields and apple orchards stretching out before you, this is a scenic spot where you can relax and enjoy the leisurely flow of time! It's also famous as a great spot for taking photos of trains, as you can see JR and the Konan Railway Owani Line. If you go left from the observation plaza, you'll find a walking course, and if you go right, you'll find a course to visit the Ishikawa Thirty-three Kannon statues

Unfortunately, the flowers are in bud in early June

There were many hydrangeas on the way here, but unfortunately, most of them were in bud because the photo was taken in June. The type of hydrangea in the photo is unknown, but there are apparently about 20 types of hydrangeas planted in the garden. The road to the observation plaza is crowded with hydrangeas, and I am excited to imagine how beautiful they will be when they are in full bloom. Of course, there are hydrangeas along the route to Ishikawa Thirty-three Kannon Temples, so you will see hydrangeas wherever you walk

This is a variety called Annabelle. Unlike traditional hydrangeas, this popular variety has flowers that change color from lime green to white, or pale pink, and come in a wide variety of sizes. I just planted it recently, so I'm not sure if it will bloom, but I'm sure it will be beautiful next year

Daibutsu Park <Information>

• Name: Great Buddha Park
• Address: Ishikawa Daibutsu, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture, 036-8124
• Phone number: 0172-33-8739 (Hirosaki City Parks and Green Spaces Division)
• URL: Hirosaki Tourism and Convention Association
• Closed: Closed in winter due to snow
• Parking: Available (free)
• Admission fee: Free

Google Map

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summary

The rainy season can be humid and depressing. You might not want to go anywhere because of the rain, but the hydrangeas at Daibutsu Park are definitely worth a visit. The Hydrangea Festival will also begin on July 1st, so why not consider it as a rainy day outing?

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