Aomori Nebuta Matsuri
Aomori Nebuta Matsuri is the largest of the Tohoku region's summer festivals and runs over the same six days at the start of August every year. Its subject is the nebuta: enormous illuminated floats built from washi paper stretched over wire frames, painted as kabuki heroes, warriors and demons in violent colour, up to nine metres wide and lit from within. Each is pushed through the streets after dark by a crew that spins and rocks it to make the figures seem to lunge at the crowd. Around them run thousands of haneto dancers in flowered hats, hopping and shouting "rassera" — and visitors who rent or buy the costume are allowed to join in without registering, which is rare among Japan's big festivals. The final day is different: the floats are paraded in daylight, then loaded onto boats and taken out into Mutsu Bay with fireworks over the water. The festival is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Event information
| When | Usually held in early August; check the official site for the latest schedule |
|---|---|
| Where | Aomori |
| Access | The parade route circles the central blocks of Aomori a few minutes' walk from JR Aomori Station, which is the terminus of the Ou Line and connected to Shin-Aomori Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen by a short local train. The Nebuta Museum WA RASSE beside the station displays full-size floats year round, which is useful if your trip falls outside the festival. |
| Schedule status | Check the official site |
| Official information | Open the official site |
Practical tips
- Hotel rooms in Aomori city sell out roughly a year ahead for these dates. Travellers who miss out commonly stay in Hirosaki or Hachinohe and ride the train in, or take a night bus.
- To dance as a haneto you must wear the full costume, which shops and hotels near the route rent by the evening; without it you cannot enter the dancing ranks.
- Reserved seating along the route is sold in advance through the official committee and local agencies, but standing along the pavement two or three rows deep works well if you arrive around an hour early.
- The final day differs from the rest: daytime parade plus the boat procession and fireworks in the evening. Decide which of the two experiences you want before choosing your dates.
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