Kenrokuen garden

Kenrokuen in Kanazawa is classified as one of Japan's three most beautiful landscape gardens along with Kairakuen in Mito and Korakuen in Okayama. 

The spacious grounds used to be the outer garden of Kanazawa Castle and were constructed by the ruling Maeda clan over a period of nearly two centuries. It was opened to the public in 1871, it features a variety of flowering trees which provide the garden with a different look for each season.

The name Kenrokuen literally means Garden of the Six Sublimities, meaning spaciousness, seclusion, artificiality, antiquity, abundant water and broad views, which according to Chinese landscape theory are the six essential attributes that make up a perfect garden.


See the detail as below.
Kenrokuen

Hirosaki Castle

The castle was built in 1611 by the Tsugaru Clan. A three-story castle tower, fortified moats, castle gates and some watchtowers survive or were reconstructed.

  
The castle is located in Hirosaki Park, a spacious public park of about 0.6 square kilometers. The park is one of Japan's best cherry blossom spots. In spring, lots of tourists visit the park to enjouy cherry blossom viewing. 

The castle's original five-story keep burnt down in 1627 after being struck by lightning. Rebuilt in 1810, the present three-story keep is the only one in the Tohoku Region that was not rebuilt in the modern times.