Aomori Prefecture is located at the northernmost tip of Honshu, featuring magnificent natural landscapes and four distinct seasons. Hirosaki Castle is the top castle in the Tohoku region, with stunning cherry blossoms in spring and autumn leaves in fall. Lake Towada and the Oirase Stream (one of the most beautiful streams in Japan) are renowned for their series of waterfalls and dense forests, with scenic changes throughout the four seasons. Shirakami-Sanchi is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, home to primeval beech forests. The summer Nebuta Matsuri festival is grand and impressive. In terms of cuisine, scallops, sea urchin, and other seafood are highly prized; Aomori apples (world-class) are sweet and juicy, while apple pies and apple cider offer unique flavours.