Tsuruta Town is located in Kitatsugaru District, Aomori Prefecture, in the heart of the Tsugaru Plain. Surrounded by fertile farmland and beautiful natural scenery, the town has developed a rich agricultural culture centered on fruit growing.
The area is particularly famous for Steuben grapes, a sweet and aromatic variety for which Tsuruta is Japan’s leading producer. Apples, cherries, and other agricultural products are also important local specialties.
Tsuruta is also home to several memorable attractions, including the scenic Tsugaru Fujimi Lake, the elegant wooden Tsuru-no-Mai Bridge, traditional buildings, cultural facilities, and parks where visitors can enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of rural northern Japan.
Tsuruta Town lies almost at the center of the Tsugaru Plain. The Iwaki River flows gently through the town on its way toward the Sea of Japan and plays an important role in supporting local agriculture.
The landscape includes low hills, farmland, ponds, and waterways. Among the most famous natural features is Tsugaru Fujimi Lake, also known by its official name, Mawarizeki Otameike.
Although the lake is an artificial reservoir, it blends beautifully with the surrounding landscape. Its scenery changes throughout the year, offering cherry blossoms in spring, fresh green foliage in summer, colorful leaves in autumn, and snow-covered views in winter.
Takayama is a small hill approximately 36 meters above sea level in the northern part of Tsuruta Town, north of Tsugaru Fujimi Lake.
Although it is a low hill, the summit provides an attractive view of the lake and Mount Iwaki. The area is popular with local residents as a place to relax and enjoy nature.
Fresh greenery makes the hill especially pleasant in spring, while autumn brings colorful foliage. It is an easy place to include in a leisurely nature walk around the lake.
Tsugaru Fujimi Lake, officially called Mawarizeki Otameike, is the largest artificial lake in Aomori Prefecture. It has a storage capacity of approximately 14.256 million cubic meters and an embankment stretching about 4.2 kilometers.
The lake was created primarily to provide water for agriculture, but its beautiful scenery has also made it an important sightseeing destination.
On clear days, Mount Iwaki, known locally as the “Tsugaru Fuji,” can be reflected beautifully on the surface of the lake. This spectacular combination of water and mountain scenery is the reason the lake is known as a place where visitors can enjoy views of Mount Iwaki.
The landscape is attractive in every season. Cherry blossoms surround the lake in spring, fresh green vegetation dominates in summer, autumn foliage adds vivid colors in fall, and snow creates a quiet winter landscape.
In 2010, the reservoir was selected as one of Japan’s 100 Best Agricultural Reservoirs by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, recognizing both its scenic value and its importance to the local community.
The most recognizable landmark of Tsugaru Fujimi Lake is Tsuru-no-Mai Bridge, a magnificent wooden bridge approximately 300 meters long.
Completed in 1994 after construction began in 1991, the bridge consists of three traditional drum-shaped arches. It is known as Japan’s longest wooden three-span drum bridge.
The bridge was designed around the image of a crane spreading its wings and was carefully created to harmonize with the surrounding mountains and lake. Its elegant curves blend naturally into the landscape.
The bridge was constructed entirely using Hiba cypress from Aomori Prefecture. Some of the timber used for its bridge supports came from trees more than 150 years old, emphasizing the connection between the bridge and the forests of northern Japan.
During the daytime, the bridge provides beautiful views across Tsugaru Fujimi Lake and toward Mount Iwaki. The combination of the wooden structure, calm water, and mountain scenery makes it one of the most photogenic places in Tsuruta.
After sunset, the atmosphere changes completely. Approximately 110 lights illuminate the bridge, creating reflections on the lake and giving the surrounding landscape a calm and dreamlike appearance.
Because the scenery changes with the seasons and the bridge looks different during the day and at night, Tsuru-no-Mai Bridge is a place worth visiting more than once.
Fujimi Lake Park covers approximately 12.4 hectares along the shore of Tsugaru Fujimi Lake. The spacious park is a relaxing place for walking, picnicking, and enjoying the changing seasons.
In spring, cherry trees bloom throughout the park. The annual Cherry Blossom Festival adds a lively atmosphere, with food stalls, stage performances, and other activities.
The park also contains cultural and religious structures, including Towada Shrine and Hakui Kannon-do. Visitors can therefore experience both the natural scenery and the traditional culture of the area in one location.
Tsuru-no-Sato Furusato-kan is a historical museum featuring a reconstructed traditional farmhouse from the Meiji period.
The building was relocated from the Uchinakano settlement in 1995. Its traditional features, including tatami rooms, an earthen-floored area, a traditional cooking hearth, and a horse stable, have been carefully recreated.
Inside, visitors can see farming tools and household objects that illustrate how people lived and worked in rural northern Japan more than a century ago.
Japanese Crane Nature Park was established around a local tradition that cranes once frequently visited the area.
In 1993, the town received two red-crowned cranes from Heilongjiang Province in China. A pair was later welcomed from Russia in 1997, and cranes born in Tsuruta have since also been raised at the facility.
Located near the lake, the park offers visitors an opportunity to observe these elegant birds at relatively close range. Watching the cranes move gracefully through their quiet surroundings provides a peaceful experience connected with the natural and cultural identity of Tsuruta.
Michi-no-Eki Tsuruta “Tsuru-no-Sato Aruja” is a popular roadside station and community hub where visitors can discover local agricultural products and specialties.
The name “Aruja” is a coined expression inspired by Spanish words associated with a crane and its wings, evoking the image of a crane taking flight.
The market sells fresh produce grown in Tsuruta. Depending on the season, visitors can find melons and watermelons in summer, followed by Steuben grapes and apples in autumn.
One of the best-known souvenirs is Steuben Daifuku, a Japanese rice-cake sweet filled with the town’s characteristic grapes. The combination of chewy mochi and sweet-tart fruit makes it a popular local treat.
The roadside station also offers creative dishes using local ingredients, including soy milk tantan noodles made with soybeans grown in Tsuruta and Steuben grape gyoza.
The Tsuruta Town Historical and Cultural Heritage Museum makes use of the former Mizumoto Elementary School building.
The school was founded in 1876, while the surviving wooden schoolhouse was built in 1936. The nostalgic building has been preserved and now serves as a museum introducing the history and culture of Tsuruta.
The schoolhouse was also used as a filming location for the NHK historical television drama Inochi. Its old-fashioned wooden classrooms and atmosphere offer visitors a glimpse into the educational environment of an earlier era.
Steuben grapes are one of the defining specialties of Tsuruta Town. The town is Japan’s leading producer of this variety in both cultivated area and production volume.
Steuben grapes are known for their high sugar content, rich sweetness, and fragrant flavor. They are generally sold from around October through February.
One of the interesting features of Steuben grapes is that they can be stored for an extended period using techniques adapted from apple storage. This allows people to enjoy locally grown grapes even during the winter months.
Steuben is also used to make a wide range of processed products, including juice, jelly, and wine, making the grape an important part of Tsuruta’s local food culture.
Tsuruta is also known for its cherries. Popular varieties such as Sato Nishiki and Napoleon are cultivated locally, with the harvest generally taking place from late June through mid-July.
At some tourist farms, visitors can enjoy cherry-picking experiences, making the fruit season particularly attractive for families.
Tsuruta apples are another important local specialty. Varieties such as Tsugaru, Jonathan, and Fuji are grown in the region, benefiting from the fertile soils and climate of the Tsugaru Plain.
The agricultural bounty of Tsuruta is also transformed into a variety of regional products.
Among the local specialties are Tanto no Sasayaki wine, made using Steuben grapes, and Tsuru no Ongaeshi, a junmai ginjo sake produced from locally grown “Tsuru no Kagayaki” rice.
Other products include rice-flour bread, tofu, miso, and other foods made from locally produced agricultural ingredients. These products offer travelers an opportunity to take a taste of Tsuruta home with them.
Tsuruta Town offers a different experience in every season. Spring brings cherry blossoms and fresh greenery around Tsugaru Fujimi Lake. Summer is a time for outdoor activities and seasonal fruits such as cherries and melons. Autumn brings colorful foliage and the harvest of apples and Steuben grapes, while winter offers quiet snowy landscapes and the opportunity to enjoy stored Steuben grapes.
The changing scenery also gives Tsuru-no-Mai Bridge and Tsugaru Fujimi Lake a different character throughout the year.
Tsuruta Town is an appealing destination for travelers who want to experience the countryside of northern Japan away from the busiest tourist areas.
Here, beautiful mountain scenery, agricultural landscapes, traditional architecture, local food, wildlife, and community traditions come together. Visitors can admire Mount Iwaki reflected in a peaceful lake, walk across an elegant wooden bridge, explore a historic farmhouse, meet Japanese cranes, pick seasonal fruit, and taste products made from local ingredients.
For international travelers exploring Aomori Prefecture, Tsuruta provides a memorable introduction to the natural beauty, agricultural traditions, and warm local culture of the Tsugaru region.