A giant ukiyo-e replica made of some 30,000 apples is being displayed at a castle in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, to promote the nation's top Apple-producing city.
Using five different colors of apples, the fruity replica of a famous woodblock print by ukiyo-e master Toshusai Sharaku was created by residents to fit in a case measuring 17 meters by 9 meters for the Hirosaki Castle Chrysanthemum and Autumn Foliage Festival.
The apples used for the iconic piece, titled "The Actor Otani Oniji III as Yakko Edobei," will be squeezed for juice after the exhibition ends. The image is on display from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Hirosaki Park, and will be illuminated each night through Oct. 29. The entrance fee costs ¥310 for adults and ¥100 for children.
A municipal official recommended that visitors view the yellow, green and red work from a distance so they can observe the replica in its entirety, but also get close to the piece to enjoy the aroma.
"I was surprised to find out it's made from apples when I approached it," said Tamaki Goto, a 26-year-old nutritionist from Shizuoka Prefecture. "With the colorful apples, it's a display representative of Aomori."