The 2026 version! A train runs through a tunnel of cherry blossoms! Ashino Park and lunch spots in Aomori! Kanagi Cafe melo in Ashino Park, Aomori

  • Aomori
  • Sightseeing
Collaboration of cherry blossoms and train
As spring approaches, the cherry blossom season arrives!
Hirosaki Park" is famous for cherry blossoms in Aomori Prefecture, but I would like to recommend "Ashino Park" to those who love trains and retro things.

In this issue, we will introduce some of the highlights of Ashino Park and a recommended lunch spot nearby, Kanagi Cafe melo.

Recommended for railroad enthusiasts! Cherry blossoms in Ashino Park

The highlight of the cherry blossoms in Ashino Park is the cherry blossoms that decorate the railroad tracks near Ashino Koen Station on the Tsugaru Railway!
Cherry blossom tunnel and railroad tracks
Ashino Koen Station platform on the left
Can you see the beautiful tunnel of cherry blossoms along the railroad tracks?

The collaboration of the cute orange retro trains of Tsugaru Railroad and the cherry blossoms is very popular! Many people visit Ashino Park to catch a glimpse.
Collaboration of many people, cherry blossoms and train
Many people visit Ashino Park just to take pictures of the beautiful scenery, but if you want to take the trouble, we recommend you to visit Ashino Park by using the Tsugaru Railway. In this article, we will introduce how to get there from JR Aomori Station/Shin-Aomori Station, including how to get there from JR Aomori Station!

Depart from JR Aomori Station/JR Shin-Aomori Station!

From JR Aomori Station (or JR Shin-Aomori Station), the gateway to Aomori Prefecture, you can either take the Konan Bus bound for Goshogawara or take the JR Line. (*If you use the "Resort Shirakami" Joyful Train, you do not need to change trains.

Boarding from Tsugaru Goshogawara Station!

Tsugaru Goshogawara Station on the Tsugaru Railway is right next to JR Goshogawara Station. The station with ticket office and ticket gate is very retro. The timetable is displayed in Chinese numerals! This Showa-era atmosphere is perfect for retro lovers!
There are many points that attract retro lovers, such as the use of colors!
The retro-style timetable in Chinese numerals and the tasteful station name board.
There is also a store, so it is recommended to stop by while waiting for the train. You can buy goods of Tsugaru Railroad character "Tsutsukkichi", stove train coal cookies, and other unique Tsugaru Railroad items.
Very cute! Tsutsukichi's clear file
Original capsule toys are also available♪
As you can see in the timetable photo, you can enter the station when you see the "Ticket is being changed" sign at the entrance. When you enter the station, you will see a cute orange-colored Tsugaru Railway car waiting for you.
The lovely orange car body of the train is a landmark (photo taken in June 2024)
It takes about 30 minutes from "Tsugaru Goshogawara Station" to "Ashino Koen Station". The time will fly by as you leisurely enjoy the scenery from the window. If you are accompanied by an assistant who is fluent in Tsugaru dialect, he or she will happily introduce you to the scenery and sights along the train line. You can also get a handmade map of the area around your stop.
Inside the train that stirs up the feeling of traveling (photo taken around June)
Outside the train is a peaceful landscape (photo taken around June)
The Tsugaru Railways also offers retro-style hard tickets. If you are using a digital free pass, it is also recommended to buy a "Kaiun ticket" sold at Tsugaru Goshogawara Station or Kanagi Station as a commemorative gift. â-'Tsutsukichi' wearing a Chinese zodiac headdress is cute♪
Admission ticket for the year of the Snake in 2025
It is a solid and thick hard ticket!
As Ashino Koen Station approaches, the cherry blossoms come into view, and you will be excited and nervous♪ Show your ticket to the conductor, get off the train, and watch it leave the platform. However, it is very dangerous to get too close to the train! For your safety, please do not step out of the white line of the platform.
The platform of Ashino Koen station with cute font.
Looking off the train from the platform.
After exiting the platform, take a stroll around Ashino Park!
Pass through the nearby railroad crossing and head for Ashino Park. During the festival period, there are food stalls in the park, so it might be fun to take a look.
You can see the railroad crossing in the back.
Food stalls lined up in a row.
Ashino Park has about 1,500 cherry trees. There is a promenade, so you can walk around the park in a circle. The park also has a plaza-like area and a row of cherry blossom trees. Please take your time and enjoy yourself by relaxing on the benches.
Take your time to enjoy the cherry blossoms in the plaza
The rows of cherry trees continue
Incidentally, Osamu Dazai, a great writer known for "Ningen Shikkaku" and other works, was born near here. When he was a child, he often played in Ashino Park. For this reason, there is a statue of Osamu Dazai and a monument to his works in the park.
Osamu Dazai Statue
This statue of Osamu Dazai was created based on a photo of Dazai actually taking a walk. His beloved cape is stylish.

Near the statue is the Osamu Dazai Literature Monument, created by Dazai's friend and Aomori Junior High School classmate, the painter Abe Gosei. It is engraved with a golden phoenix and a line from a poem by the French poet Verlaine, which Dazai was fond of saying, "I have the ecstasy and anxiety of being selected.
Osamu Dazai Literature Monument near the statue
Dazai lovers should also visit the nearby Shayokan, Osamu Dazai's birthplace, and the Osamu Dazai Evacuation House, where Dazai stayed during the war.
There is a bridge across Lake Ashino, a large lake in the park, right next to the Osamu Dazai statue and the literary monument. The combination of the lake and cherry blossoms is beautiful.
Cherry blossoms can be seen beyond the bridge
You can see the lake and cherry blossoms from the bridge
There is also a children's zoo, so please enjoy the cherry blossoms and a leisurely stroll.
Cherry blossoms are beautiful!
After enjoying the cherry blossoms in the park, the long-awaited collaboration of cherry blossoms and railroad is finally here! Check the official website of Tsugaru Railroad to confirm the schedule in advance and find the best position. This time, I took photos near the railroad crossing where I could be sure not to disturb other people or train operations.

When taking pictures, please be careful not to enter any areas that are off-limits. Please note that a valid train ticket or admission ticket is required to enter the Ashino Koen Station platform. Please be sure to follow the instructions of station staff and personnel for your own safety.
Collaboration of cherry blossoms and Tsugaru Railway
The reflection of the cherry blossoms on the windows of the train is very beautiful.
Tsugaru Railway's official website is here

About the best time to see cherry blossoms

In Aomori Prefecture, the cherry blossom season usually falls during the Golden Week holidays, but recently the season has been getting earlier. To make sure you don't miss the perfect time, please check the "Amazing Aomori" Aomori Prefecture tourist information website in advance.

*The photo of cherry blossoms in Ashino Park used in this article was taken on April 20, 2024.
Aomori Prefecture's sightseeing information site "Amazing AOMORI" is here

Lunch at an old folk house cafe♪

After enjoying the cherry blossoms, how about having lunch at a stylish cafe? Located about a 15-minute walk from Ashino Koen Station, Kanagi Cafe melo (melo) is a stylish space renovated from a rice warehouse♪ Please look for the cute apple sign.
The pale green door is also cute!
Cute apple signboard!
There are not many seats, so please wait for the store staff to show you the way once you enter. The inside is also very cute and stylish! You can't help but look around the restaurant.
Stylish inside of the store
Nice selection of books, including English editions of Osamu Dazai's works!
Here you can enjoy a weekly lunch, "wakaoi onigiri," a local dish of Aomori and a favorite of Dazai, and desserts such as pudding and chiffon cake. Lunch sets A is curry-based and B is pasta-based, and a drink is included. This time, I was greedy and had both the lunch set A and the wakaoi onigiri (single item)!
Lunch set A: chicken keema curry
Hot coffee (from the Noguchi Coffee Shop in Sotogahama Town)
The A set at the time of the interview was Chicken Keema Curry. First of all, I was excited by the beautiful coloring of the dish! The vegetables and minced meat that have been simmered well enhance the flavor of the curry, making it very tasty! The spiciness is just right and perfectly balanced with the accompanying vegetables such as rice and salad! I ate it up in no time at all!
Half-moon shaped young rice ball
You eat it as if you bite off the long and thin one first!
Next is wakayu onigiri! These simple rice balls are made of thin, soft, one-year kelp called wakasei, wrapped in hoka hoka white rice. The kelp has salt on it, and the flavor, deliciousness, and saltiness of the kelp with the aroma of the sea are addictive. It is not easily found outside of the Tsugaru region, so please try it!

After lunch, we took a breather with a cup of hot coffee from the lunch set. Thank you very much! There were many tempting desserts such as pudding, chiffon cake, cream soda, etc., but we were too full and had to give up. Next time I visit, I would like to have dessert too...!

If you have time, please try the café!
Kaneki Cafe melo's official Instagram is here

Combine your favorite train with lodging or a day trip plan for a great travel experience!

You can make your own original trip!

JR East View Dynamic Rail Package is a variable price individual travel product available only on the web. Depending on the timing and conditions of your application, you may be able to get a discount as early as the day of departure. We also offer one-day trip plans! Enjoy your own unique trip according to your schedule and purpose.
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