Tour of Western-style architecture

(1) Former 59th Bank Head Office Main Building (Aomori Bank Memorial Hall)Established in 1879, it was the first national bank in the prefecture and the 59th in Japan. It is a Renaissance-style Western-style building with a decorative tower at the top that also serves as an observatory, and at the top of the tower is a sorin, as seen in Indian temples. It is designated as a National Important Cultural Property.
(2) Former Touoku Gijuku Foreign Teachers' BuildingTooku Gijuku was the first private school opened in the prefecture in 1872, and this Foreign Missionaries' House was built for the foreign missionaries invited to the school. The chimneys and bay windows are tasteful, and the interior recreates life in those days. A coffee shop is open on the first floor of the building, where visitors can enjoy coffee and other beverages while looking through the windows at the miniature structures within Otemon Square.
(3) Former Hirosaki City LibraryBuilt in 1906 to commemorate the victory over Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, it was used as the municipal library until 1931. It is a three-story Renaissance-style wooden and mortar building with octagonal twin towers.