by Yoshida Hiroshi The castle does not announce itself. It emerges slowly through a curtain of weeping cherry branches, pale walls and dark rooflines glimpsed between cascading blossoms: present but partially withheld, as if the season itself has chosen what to reveal. Hirosaki Castle in Aomori prefecture is one of Japan's few remaining original castle structures, and one of the country's most celebrated hanami sites. The weeping cherry trees that surround its moat are among the oldest in Japan, their branches trailing so low they nearly touch the water. A faithful reproduction of the original ukiyo-e masterpiece, printed on premium-quality, cotton canvas using giclée printing for lasting vibrancy.
