In this guide
Ashino Park, Aomori (芦野公園 青森)
Cherry Blossom Season at Ashino Park
Ashino Park, located in Kanagi Town, Goshogawara City, is celebrated for its 1,500 cherry trees and old pine trees. It is also known as a place where the famed local novelist Osamu Dazai used to play. A distinctive highlight of this expansive park is the retro train on the Tsugaru Railway, which runs beneath the spring cherry blossoms along the tracks laid across the park.
Selected as one of Japan’s 100 Best Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots, the park spans 80 hectares. Visitors can enjoy the lake, the Osamu Dazai Literary Monument, and a statue of Osamu Dazai. You can also rent a rowboat on the lake, or walk across the suspension bridge to take in the romantic views.
Retro Train and Cherry Blossoms
The orange, retro-style train and the nostalgic Tsugaru Railway station building are signature features of the park. When the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, the scenery can feel almost cinematic.
Osamu Dazai Memorial Museum
The Osamu Dazai Memorial Museum, also commonly called Shayōkan, is a writer’s home museum in the Kanagi area of Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture. Dedicated to the late author Osamu Dazai, who spent part of his early childhood in Kanagi, it displays antique furniture, ornaments, and a collection of his works.
The building is a two-story wooden structure made primarily of hiba wood, for which Aomori is known. It has 11 rooms downstairs and 8 rooms upstairs, along with several attached structures (kura) and a Japanese garden with spring water. While the exterior resembles a traditional Japanese house, it includes notable Western elements—especially in the staircase design and the roof’s truss structure.
General Information
- Address: Ashino, Kanagi, Goshogawara, Aomori
- Telephone:
- Open: Year-round
- Cherry blossom season: Around April to May
Ease of Access
- Train: 25-minute train ride from Goshogawara Station to Ashino-Kōen Station on the Tsugaru Line. The park is right outside the station.
- Car: About 25 minutes from Goshogawara-Kita IC on the Tsugaru Expressway.
Price / Entrance Fees
- Parking is free during the off-season; during sakura season, there is a nominal fee.
Social Media
- Website: https://www.en-aomori.com/
