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Aomori: Help Move Hirosaki Castle & Become Part of History
Limited to August 24, 25, and 26, 2026
One private group per day｜Applications close on August 5, 2026
Check Availability & Apply
Submitting this form does not confirm your reservation. A Japan Navi Journey representative will contact you regarding availability, payment, and the next steps.
Most Travelers Visit a Historic Castle. On This Journey, You Will Help Move One.
Take part in a rare preservation experience connected to the return of Hirosaki Castle’s historic keep to its original position.
During the program, you will join other participants, hold the ropes connected to the historic keep, and take part in an important moment in the continuing story of Hirosaki Castle.
Travel comfortably in a private Alphard reserved exclusively for your group and experience several sides of Aomori in one carefully arranged day: castle history, Tsugaru Neputa culture, local food, sake craftsmanship, and regional apple products.
Each participant aged 20 or over will also receive an exclusive, not-for-sale bottle of Japanese sake featuring a special Japan Navi Journey label.
This is not simply a day trip.
It is a chance to take part in Japanese history and return home with a story very few travelers will ever be able to tell:
“I helped move Hirosaki Castle.”
Why This Journey Is Different
- Help pull the ropes connected to Hirosaki Castle’s historic keep
- Participate in a limited preservation experience that cannot be recreated once the keep has returned
- Travel throughout the day in a private Alphard reserved exclusively for your group
- Discover the living festival culture of the Tsugaru region
- Enjoy a light local lunch
- Visit a local sake brewery through a specially arranged experience
- Receive an exclusive Japan Navi Journey–labelled bottle of sake
- Discover Aomori’s famous apple products and regional specialties
- Experience history, culture, craftsmanship, food, and local products in one day
Tour Overview
Tour Dates: August 24, 25, and 26, 2026
Application Deadline: August 5, 2026
Duration: Approximately 8 hours
Departure Time: 8:30 AM
Meeting Point: Shin-Aomori Station
End Point: Aomori Station
Estimated End Time: Approximately 4:30 PM
Area: Hirosaki and Aomori, Aomori Prefecture
Group Size: 1–5 travelers
Availability: One private group per day
Transportation: Private Alphard with a professional driver
Guide: An English-speaking tour guide or interpreter is not included
The vehicle and transportation are reserved exclusively for your group. The Hirosaki Castle keep-pulling experience itself is shared with participants from other tour groups.
Highlights of the Day
Day
01
Shin-Aomori Station to Hirosaki Castle
Take Part in a Rare Moment of Japanese History
Meet your professional driver at Shin-Aomori Station and begin your journey to Hirosaki in a private Alphard reserved exclusively for your group.
Hirosaki Castle’s historic keep was moved away from its original stone base in 2015 so that major repair work could be carried out on the stone walls beneath it.
After more than a decade, the keep is returning to its original position.
During this special program, you will join participants from other groups and help pull the ropes connected to the historic keep.
Rather than simply looking at a Japanese castle or learning about something that happened in the past, you will participate in a moment of living history.
Once the keep has returned to its original position, this particular experience cannot be repeated.
Years from now, when you see Hirosaki Castle standing above its restored stone walls, you will be able to say:
“I was there. I helped move it.”
Tsugaru-han Neputa Village
Discover the Living Culture of Hirosaki
Continue to Tsugaru-han Neputa Village and enter the vibrant world of Hirosaki’s famous Neputa culture.
See impressive festival floats and discover the detailed artistry, craftsmanship, music, and traditions behind one of Aomori’s most distinctive festivals.
This visit offers a deeper understanding of Hirosaki—not only as a historic castle town, but also as a place where local culture continues to live through community traditions and craftsmanship.
Admission and a light local lunch are included.
Rokka Sake Brewery
Discover Aomori’s Sake Craftsmanship
In the afternoon, visit Rokka Sake Brewery through a specially arranged experience.
Learn about the brewery’s history and the craftsmanship involved in producing Japanese sake in Aomori.
The region’s climate, water, rice, and brewing traditions all contribute to the character of its sake. This visit offers an opportunity to discover another important part of Aomori’s local identity.
Sake tasting may be available for eligible participants, subject to the brewery’s operating conditions.
An Exclusive Gift for Adult Participants
Each participant aged 20 or over will receive one exclusive, not-for-sale bottle of Japanese sake featuring a special Japan Navi Journey label.
This bottle is not normally available for public purchase.
It is more than an included souvenir. It is a lasting reminder of the day you took part in Hirosaki Castle’s history and discovered the craftsmanship of Aomori.
Michi-no-Eki Namioka Apple Hill
Enjoy a Final Taste of Aomori
Before the journey ends, stop at Michi-no-Eki Namioka Apple Hill.
Aomori is widely known for its apples, and this stop offers the opportunity to browse locally grown apples, apple sweets, juices, regional foods, and local souvenirs.
It is a fitting final stop for a journey that brings together Aomori’s history, culture, craftsmanship, food, and agricultural traditions.
Purchases made at Apple Hill are not included in the tour price.
After the visit, travel to Aomori Station, where the tour ends at approximately 4:30 PM.
What’s Included
- Private Alphard reserved exclusively for your group
- Professional driver
- Transportation from Shin-Aomori Station to Aomori Station
- Expressway tolls and parking fees
- Participation in the Hirosaki Castle keep-pulling experience
- Admission to Tsugaru-han Neputa Village
- Light local lunch
- Specially arranged visit to Rokka Sake Brewery
- Sake tasting for eligible participants, if offered and subject to brewery operating conditions
- One exclusive, not-for-sale bottle of Japanese sake with a special Japan Navi Journey label for each participant aged 20 or over
- Visit to Michi-no-Eki Namioka Apple Hill
- Applicable taxes and service charges
What’s Not Included
- English-speaking tour guide or interpreter
- Hotel pickup or drop-off
- Transportation to Shin-Aomori Station
- Transportation after arrival at Aomori Station
- Meals and drinks not specifically listed
- Additional alcoholic beverages
- Personal purchases and souvenirs
- Purchases made at Namioka Apple Hill
- Shipping of the souvenir sake bottle
- Travel insurance
- Any services not specifically listed under “What’s Included”
Private Group Price
Calculate the average price for this plan
Number of Travelers
PRICE FROM 0JPY per person
PRICE FROM JPY 44,000 PER PERSON
Based on five travelers sharing one private Alphard.
This tour is priced per private group rather than at a fixed per-person rate. The total group price changes according to the number of travelers because participant-based services, admission, lunch, and gifts are included.
Why This Premium Day Journey Is Worth the Price
This is not simply the cost of transportation for one day.
The price reflects a combination of elements that are not available through an ordinary sightseeing tour.
A Rare Historical Participation Experience
You are not only visiting Hirosaki Castle. You are participating in the return of its historic keep.
Once the keep has returned to its original position, this particular experience will be over.
Private Comfort and Efficient Transportation
Your Alphard is reserved exclusively for your group throughout the journey.
You can move comfortably between each destination without navigating unfamiliar trains, local buses, timetables, or multiple transfers.
A Carefully Curated Aomori Experience
The journey combines castle history, Tsugaru festival culture, a light local lunch, sake craftsmanship, and Aomori’s apple products in one thoughtfully arranged day.
Specially Arranged Local Experiences
The brewery visit and exclusive sake gift provide an opportunity to connect with Aomori beyond standard sightseeing.
An Exclusive Gift Unavailable for Public Purchase
Each participant aged 20 or over receives a special Japan Navi Journey–labelled bottle of Japanese sake that cannot simply be purchased from a shop.
A Story That Will Last Beyond the Journey
The price reflects not only the transportation, admissions, food, and gift included in the tour.
It also reflects something that cannot easily be purchased or repeated:
your place in a moment of Japanese history.
- This tour is available only on August 24, 25, and 26, 2026.
- Applications close on August 5, 2026.
- Only one private group of up to five travelers can be accepted per day.
- The private Alphard and transportation are reserved exclusively for your group.
- The Hirosaki Castle keep-pulling experience is shared with participants from other tour groups.
- The driver provides transportation only and is not an English-speaking tour guide or interpreter.
- Children below elementary school age, including children in strollers, cannot participate in the castle-pulling experience.
- Participants must follow all instructions and safety guidance provided by the event staff.
- The castle experience may be changed or canceled due to weather, safety, or operational conditions.
- The order and duration of the stops may change depending on traffic, facility operations, and local arrangements.
- Please inform Japan Navi Journey in advance of any food allergies, dietary restrictions, mobility requirements, and the number and size of your luggage.
- Sake tasting and the souvenir bottle are available only to participants aged 20 or over.
- Shipping of the souvenir sake bottle is not included.
- Guests are responsible for carrying the bottle and checking applicable airline, baggage, and customs regulations.
- Submission of the application form does not confirm a reservation.
- A Japan Navi Journey representative will contact applicants regarding availability, payment, and the booking process.
One Summer. Three Dates. One Story for a Lifetime.
This is not simply a journey to Aomori.
It is an opportunity to enter a rare historical moment, discover the living culture of Hirosaki, and experience the craftsmanship and flavors of northern Japan through a carefully arranged private journey.
Do not simply visit Hirosaki Castle.
Become Part of Its Story.
Available only on August 24, 25, and 26, 2026
Applications close on August 5, 2026
Apply for This Limited Tour
Submitting this form does not confirm your reservation. A Japan Navi Journey representative will contact you regarding availability, payment, and the next steps.
