city, Aomori ken (prefecture), northern Honshu, Japan. The isolated volcanic cone of Mount Iwaki, a pilgrimage site, rises to the west. Located on the Tsugaru Plain, Hirosaki developed as a castle town, and the remains of Hirosaki Castle (1611) are in Hirosaki Park. Commercially, the city specializes in green lacquer ware (tsugaru-nuri) and apple products. Hirosaki University was founded in 1949. Pop. (2005) 189,043.