What to know
When the Tsugaru Clan sided with Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, they secured their position as the feudal lords of Hirosaki for the 250-year Edo Period (1603–1868). Hirosaki Castle became their seat of power, and a typical castle town grew around it.
As in all castle towns, samurai serving the local clan lived in residences near their lord's castle. Today, a district north of Hirosaki Castle is preserved as a former samurai quarter. While much of the area now resembles a modern Japanese neighborhood, three samurai houses and one merchant house have been preserved and are open to the public.
The samurai district lies just north of Hirosaki Park. The nearest Dotemachi Loop Bus stop is "Bunka Center-mae," a ten-minute walk away. Another bus line, the Tamenobu Loop Bus, stops at Neputa Mura right next to the district, but it runs much less frequently than the Dotemachi Loop Bus and not at all in winter.
Visitor information
Practical details to check before planning this stop.
- Hours
- 10:00 to 16:00
- Closed
- Tuesday and Friday from July to October, Monday to Thursday from November to March, August 13, December 29 to January 3
- Admission
- Free
- English name
- Original name
- Former Samurai District
Verify details before visiting. Currency conversion is indicative and may vary over time.