Enjoy a comprehensive tour of the Aomori Prefecture, taking in landmarks that include a castle, a museum of parade floats, a district devoted to Zen temples and a beloved garden.

Settle in for a scenic drive to Hirosaki Castle, a fortification that Lord Tsugaru built when he governed this region in the early 17th century. It is a magnificent seemingly impenetrable structure, as it sits atop a sloped stone wall surrounded by fortified moats. The original castle grounds are now a sprawling park dotted with thousands of cherry trees that bloom in the spring.

Nearby, you will find Tsugara Nebuta Village, a museum devoted to the Nebuta summer festival in Hirosaki, during which enormous floats depicting Japanese gods, historical figures and mythological beings are paraded through the streets. The museum also includes exhibits of cultural items such as three-string shamisen musical instruments, local handicrafts and antique toys.

Browsing the museum will be a visually delightful experience that you will not soon forget. You will also have some time to enjoy some time at a Japanese garden located next to the museum building.

Following lunch, you visit Zenringai, a district of Soto sect Zen temples. Incredibly, nearly three dozen of them line one street. The region’s 17th-century lord ordered the bulk of them to be moved here to help fortify the area.

Having completed your visits, your coach will take you back to the pier.

Embrace the natural beauty of the countryside south of Aomori from several scenic lookouts and by riding an aerial tram to the summit of towering Mt. Hakkoda.

Is an approximately 2 hour scenic drive, inland and through the mountains, to Lake Towada. This deep, dual-crater lake formed long ago when the mouth of a volcano caved in following an eruption.

Enjoy an unobstructed panorama from the Hakka-Toge Observation Deck at the southern end of the lake. From this elevated vantage point, you will have a sweeping view across the crystal-clear waters of Lake Towada, to the mountain ridge that forms the edge of the caldera, and far beyond to beautiful Mt. Hakkoda. It will be a sight to behold.

More natural beauty awaits you at Oirase Gorge, which the Oirase River continues to carve through the foothills at the base of Lake Towada. The river’s most dramatic cascades have been colorfully named after their physical characteristics and to recognize local legends. The waterfall names include Bead Curtain, Nine Stairs and Happy Marriage.

Following lunch at a nearby restaurant, you drive toward Mt. Hakkoda, the dormant volcano seen earlier from the Hakka-Toge Observation Deck. You will have a literal bird’s-eye view of the surrounding mountains, alpine forest and lower marshland as you ride to the summit in an aerial tram known as the Hakkoda Ropeway. Free time atop the mountain gives you the opportunity to admire the views and take some memorable pictures.

Delve into the cultural and historical sides of the city of Hirosaki by visiting a museum filled with outrageous parade floats and a spectacular castle surrounded by cherry trees that bloom in the spring.

Take a scenic drive to Tsugara Neputa Village, a museum devoted to the Neputa summer festival in Hirosaki. Similar to the Neputa festivals held in other cities in the Aomori Prefecture, Hirosaki’s festival features enormous floats with painted screens depicting Japanese gods, historical figures and mythological beings. Many floats are on display and seeing them up close will be breathtaking.

The museum also includes exhibits of cultural items such as three-string shamisen musical instruments, local handicrafts and antique toys. Browsing the museum will be an enlightening, visually delightful experience that you will not soon forget.

Visit Hirosaki Castle, a fortification that Lord Tsugaru built when he governed this region in the early 17th century. The original castle tower was soon destroyed by fire after being struck by lightning, but it was rebuilt in the early 19th century although scaled down from five to three stories to comply with restrictions of the Edo Period.

Hirosaki Castle is a magnificent seemingly impenetrable structure, as it sits atop a sloped stone wall surrounded by fortified moats. The original castle grounds are now a sprawling park dotted with thousands of cherry trees that usually bloom late April to early May. As you will see, the park offers a wonderful setting for a relaxing stroll.

Behold Japan’s tallest seated Buddha statue at a temple in the rural countryside and then then browse the massive and wildly colorful parade floats in a museum downtown.

Arrive at Seiryu-ji Temple, a contemporary Buddhist temple completed in 1984. The highlight of the temple complex is a bronze statue of Buddha seated; the tallest of its kind in Japan. A beautiful greenish patina graces the outdoor statue, which rises nearly 70 feet and blends harmoniously with the forested backdrop.

Nearby stands a magnificent pagoda with five stories that symbolize the elements of the Buddhist universe—water, fire, wind and sky—with the pagoda representing the universe. Also known as the Temple of the Blue-Green Dragon, Seiryu-ji is constructed primarily of cypress, lending it a wonderful fragrance as you browse the interior.

Visit the Nebuta Museum Wa Rasse, which showcases some of the gigantic parade floats from Aomori’s annual Nebuta summer festival. Made of wire, bamboo and fragile washi paper, the brightly colored floats typically depict Japanese gods, historical figures and mythological beings.

To better understand the scope of the parade, which draws millions of people, you might watch an introductory video in the museum or walk through the exhibits in the Nebuta Tunnel. Both detail the history of the festival and how the techniques used to create the floats have changed over the years.

Admire the creativity of Goshogawara at a renowned ceramics studio and at a museum that exhibits outlandish parade floats from the city’s annual Neputa festival.

Enjoy a picturesque drive through the mountainous countryside to the city of Goshogawara, where you will find Tsugaru Kanayama Pottery. Here you will learn about the various techniques used to produce its distinct pottery from local clay, which is coveted for its earthy hues ranging from copper brown to rusty red.

Inside Tsugaru Kanayama, you will see numerous kilns fired by red pine that can heat the pottery to as much as 2,462 degrees Fahrenheit. The unglazed pottery emerges with a certain rustic look that is highly desirable. Depending on the technique, the pine ashes can leave characteristic patterns on the pottery such as teeny spots that look like sesame seeds.

For a different perspective of Goshogawara’s creativity, you will then travel to the nearby Tachi-Neputa House, a museum that displays parade floats featured in the city’s joyous Neputa summer festival. Made of wire, bamboo and fragile washi paper, the brightly colored floats typically depict Japanese gods, historical figures and mythological beings.

The festival dates back to the early 20th century. The floats were taller then but were subsequently scaled back as modern utility lines were added over the streets. Even so, the floats are magnificent, especially when illuminated to enhance their dramatic effect.