Private Car Tour Aomori: Hirosaki Castle, Sannai-Maruyama, Nebuta

Three centuries of history in one day, without the tour bus crowds

A private car tour of Aomori with a National Licensed guide covers three major cultural sites: Hirosaki Castle, the northernmost existing castle tower in Japan; the Sannai-Maruyama Site, a Jomon-period settlement from over 4,000 years ago now a UNESCO World Heritage site; and a facility dedicated to the Nebuta Festival, one of Japan's three major festivals. Pickup from your port, hotel, station or airport is included, and the guide speaks English or Spanish.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Sannai-Maruyama Site1h 30m · entry included
2. Hirosaki Castle1h · entry included

Explore Aomori's cultural highlights

• Visit Sannai-Maruyama Site
• Tour Hirosaki Castle and park
• Experience Nebuta Festival facility

The experience

The tour moves through Aomori's most important cultural landmarks in a single seven-hour arc. Hirosaki Castle sits in a park where the original feudal-era tower, gates, bridges and moat have survived intact, a rare thing in Japan, and the castle itself is designated a National Important Cultural Property. From there, the route reaches the Sannai-Maruyama Site, where excavations have uncovered a complete Jomon village from 3,900 to 2,200 BC: pit dwellings, graves, earthenware, stone tools, and bone products that tell the story of life nearly 6,000 years ago. In 2021, this site became part of the UNESCO-registered "Jomon Monuments of Hokkaido and the Northeast," making it one of Japan's most significant archaeological locations.

The third stop is a permanent exhibition space dedicated to the Nebuta Festival, an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan and one of the Tohoku region's three major festivals. The facility displays large Nebuta floats that have actually been carried in the festival processions, and visitors experience the full atmosphere of the celebration year-round: the sounds of shamisen and flute, the visual scale of the floats, the cultural weight that makes Nebuta central to the region's identity. A National Licensed guide in English or Spanish leads the entire day and handles all logistics. You're picked up from your port, hotel, station or airport and travel in a private vehicle that requires no special permits.

The itinerary can shift due to weather or other circumstances, and if you want to add the traditional Hirosaki Park Moat Boat (a sightseeing boat that operates on the castle moat) you'll need to request it at least two weeks before your tour date. Dietary restrictions such as vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free can be accommodated if you note them at booking. Child seats are provided for children under six, and infant seats are available if you're traveling with very small children.

What’s included

• Private vehicle for the entire day.
• admission fees to all three sites.
• National Licensed English-speaking or Spanish-speaking guide.
• pickup from your choice of port, hotel, station or airport.

Options for this experience

2 options

EnglishUp to 30 per booking · 08:30, 09:00, 09:30 and 10:00Depending on your group size, the vehicle will be a Sedan, Alphard, Hiace, or Microbus. Pickup is included.

Other than EnglishUp to 15 per booking · Guide in Spanish · 08:30, 09:00, 09:30 and 10:00Depending on your group size, the vehicle will be a Sedan, Alphard, Hiace, or Microbus. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30, 09:00, 09:30 and 10:00

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (2 to 11 years) · Infant (under 2)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 47 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by MY Travel Consulting

Is this one for you?A private car means you move at your own pace without waiting for a group to assemble or keeping to a fixed schedule, and a guide who speaks your language can answer questions about each site as you stand in front of it. This works best if you want depth at three major cultural landmarks rather than a quick survey of many smaller stops, or if you're traveling with young children who need flexibility during the day.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 11 years); Infant (under 2).

What is the Sannai-Maruyama Site and why does it matter?

Sannai-Maruyama is a Jomon-period settlement dating from 3,900 to 2,200 BC, with excavated pit dwellings, graves, earthenware, stone tools, and bone products that reveal how people lived nearly 6,000 years ago. In 2021, it was designated part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site "Jomon Monuments of Hokkaido and the Northeast," making it one of Japan's most significant archaeological locations and a place where you can experience what a Jomon village actually looked like.

Is Hirosaki Castle the only castle tower still standing in Japan?

Hirosaki Castle is the northernmost existing castle tower in Japan and is designated a National Important Cultural Property. While it is not the only original castle tower in Japan, it is rare because the entire park (tower, gates, bridges, moat and all), has retained its original feudal-era appearance and remains open to the public as a historical site.

What happens at the Nebuta Festival facility?

The facility has a permanent exhibition of large Nebuta floats that have actually been displayed in the festival processions. Visitors experience the full atmosphere of the Nebuta Festival year-round by viewing the floats and listening to shamisen and flute music, which are essential to Japanese festivals. The Nebuta Festival itself is one of the three major festivals in the Tohoku region and is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.

Can I add a boat ride on the castle moat to this tour?

A traditional sightseeing boat called the Hirosaki Park Moat Boat operates on the castle moat within Hirosaki Castle Park. If you want to include this ride, you must request it by message at least two weeks before your tour date so the guide can arrange it.