Reportage HIROSAKI

Hirosaki City invited many foreign professors and it has embraced Western culture in the Meiji Period. As a result of this, the western-style buildings were built at the time which is still in good shape even today.
Therefore there are many French Restaurants in Hirosaki. Now Hirosaki launched a campaign for “Western-Style Buildings and French Cuisine City, Hirosaki” now. Why don’t you taste French Cuisine which is made from fresh and safety local foods with watching neat western-style buildings or beautiful view?

Hirosaki has over 150 years coffee history. Over 150 years ago, warriors of Hirosaki were sending to Ezo (present-day Hokkaido) to help the northern defenses. At that time coffee was rationed out as an edema prevention drug. It is said that Japanese ordinary people drank coffee at the first time then. In Taisho to Showa period, “Cafe” that waitresses are wearing Kimono with white apron became popular in Hirosaki. There are many historical coffee shops or café which you can eat delicious sweets in Hirosaki, including “Manchan cafe (万茶ン)” which is the oldest coffee shop in the Tohoku area in Japan.

Hirosaki has many real Bars. Hirosaki City started cocktails competition from 2008 to take an interest in Hirosaki and to visit Hirosaki for bartenders or cocktail lover all over the world. They are advertising for original cocktails themed Hirosaki’s four seasons.
They advertised “Apple of Hirosaki” or “Snow of Tsugaru” imaged cocktails before. The champion’s cocktail or prizewinner’s cocktails are served in bars in Hirosaki.

he local sake is one of specialty in Hirosaki. Shirakami-sanchi which is world heritage, beautiful nature, fresh air and water, delicious rice, cold climate and warm-hearted sake brewers make good local sake. There are 6 sake breweries and some sake breweries give study tours.

Hirosaki has various local dishes. “Igamenchi” is one of local food that fried minced squid arms with some vegetables. It is an at ordinary home-made dish which is serving many restaurants or Izakaya bar in Hirosaki to hand down “Igamenchi” to posterity. It is said that “Igamenchi” was made by leftover squid of Sushi’s ingredient first. It can be used without any waste, and idea of “Use all ingredients ” made this home-made dish.

Delicious Soba or Udon are made from fresh water, so that you can eat those in Hirosaki because it has such fresh water. There are various restaurants such as self-service restaurants which is you can eat without circumstance or can eat authentic noodles in Japanese-style house.

Aomori prefecture is probably known with delicious Sashimi and Sushi. Because Aomori prefecture surrounded by the sea of Japan, Tsugaru Strait, Mutsu Bay and Pacific Ocean. Many restaurants in Hirosaki purchase caller fishes and providing them.

Tempura is one of popular dish for foreigners. Fresh seafood, vegetables, edible wild plants or many fresh produce aplenty in Hirosaki. According to this, you can eat delicious Tempura. Why don’t enjoy crispy Tempura and seasonal food?

Castle town Hirosaki has many long-established Japanese confectionery shops. Dango(sweet rice dumpling), simple Japanese confectionery and seasonal Japanese confectionery imaged “Hirosaki Cherry Blossoms”, “Mt. Iwaki”, “Colored Leaves” or “Snow” which are really pretty.

Hirosaki is Japan’s top producer of apples. There are over 45 confectioners, bakeries selling apple pie in Hirosaki. Also sometime there are events to bake 2m apple pie. There is an apple pie guide map which shows shops and the type of taste like sweetness, sourness, texture and in or without cinnamon which is convenient for reference. People in Hirosaki and also tourists enjoy comparing the tastes of apple pies. Why not find your favorite apple pie in Hirosaki?

Hirosaki has various local dishes. “Igamenchi” is one of local food that fried minced squid arms with some vegetables. It is an ordinary home-made dish which is serving many restaurants or Izakaya bar in Hirosaki to hand down “Igamenchi” to posterity. It is said that “Igamenchi” was made by leftover squid of Sushi’s ingredient first. It can be used without any waste, and idea of “Use all ingredients” made this home-made dish.