Hi, Beth - As Caroline noted, I was indeed the one who organized our little private excursion for six from Aomori to Hirosaki to experience the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival, which turned out to be, at least for Pat & me, one of our great travel memories. There were 3,000 cherry trees in full bloom in the park surrounding the little castle. The castle moats were carpeted in pink petals. Each time there was a gust of wind, we were engulfed in a "snow flurry" of petals. It was magical.

Hirosaki is an easy trip from Aomori by train or taxi. I'll send you the link to the train schedules.

You may be a bit early for the bloom, as you will be at Aomori on April 16. However, this year the bloom was quite early, forcing the festival organizers to move the beginning of the festival at Hirosaki from its usual start date of 23 April to 18 April. Thus, if next year is also an early blooming year, you may be in luck. At your other stops in Japan, you will be a couple of weeks late for the cherry blossoms, unless next year is a very late blooming year.

Whatever the blooming cycle is next year, you might get lucky in Tokyo, as there is a variety of types of cherry trees in the magnificent park around the Imperial Palace. Some of them bloom at very different times from the others.

Editing to add the link to the calendar (thanks for the help, Karen):

Cherry Blossom Calendar

Here is a good site for info re: Hirosaki:

Hirosaki Park

Cheers, Fred