This year after completing my annual cross country Essence of Autumn Leaves photography workshop tour, I am leading a private Japan photo tour to locations across Japan, and today my participants and I are visiting Hirosaki Castle in Aomori Prefecture.  Hirosaki Castle has a history dating back to the Sengoku period of Japan, with the Battle of Sekigahara and Tokugawa Ieyasu giving Tsugaru Tamenobu possession of the castle and an income for his service.  Construction of the castle began in 1603 and was completed in 1611.  Visitors now like my participants and I are enjoying the beautiful Hirosaki Autumn leaves festival as well as the breathtaking chrysanthemums decorating the castle grounds just as the sakura do in the spring.  The Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) show their marvelous red, yellow, and orange leaves standing out among the castle’s evergreen pine trees as well as the chrysanthemum on display.  There are over 1,000 Japanese maple trees planted on the castle grounds, and while exploring and taking some once in a lifetime shots of the maples in autumn colors, we may enjoying the sweet aromas of the chrysanthemums displayed in the pavilions nearby.  The castle will be closed come winter time, but I’ll be back next year for my annual cross country Cherry blossom photo workshop.