"Aomori Nebuta Festival" is held in Aomori City on 6 days from August 2 to 7 every year. It is one of the best summer festivals in Tohoku, where the giant Nebuta that emerges in the dark in the evening mingling through the city. Haneto, who dances in time with the rhythm, is also OK to participate in general♪We have summarized the highlights of the festival and the latest information of 2025!
Along with the Akita Kantou Festival and the Sendai Tanabata Festival, the "Aomori Nebuta Festival" is one of the three major festivals in Tohoku. It is one of Japan's leading summer festivals that attracts more than 1 million people from all over the country each year.
Its feature is a giant lantern, Nebuta, which boasts an overwhelming presence!
The origin is said to be as far back as the Nara period, and it is believed to have been a change in the lanterns performed at the Tanabata Festival. From the Meiji period onwards, puppet-shaped lanterns (Nebuta) became the mainstream in Aomori and became larger. It was not until the post-war period that it became a form like the present, and in 55 it was designated as the National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
The etymology is from "Nemurinagashi", a practice that sends out drowsiness that interferes with agricultural work; "sleepy" is referred to as "nebitai" in dialect, and "nebutai" is said to have become "nebuta" due to its accent.
In Aomori, in addition to the "Aomori Nebuta Festival", "Goshogawara Tachineputa", "Hirosaki Neputa Festival", "Kuroishi Neputa Festival", etc. are held at the same time, and the characteristic Nebuta (Neputa) in each region you can see.
The beauty of Nebuta, which is lit and glittering, is unique.
The subject matter is a lot of historical figures, legends, kabuki, etc., and the scene is as if you had cut out a scene from a movie; the details are carefully drawn, and the approaching verifiance makes the viewer's mind shudder.
When the Nebuta completes the underdrawing, which is the design drawing of the Nebuta, the Nebuta craftsman makes struts out of square wood, and uses wire or thread to build the frame; after the lighting is attached, the Japanese paper is attached, and the face, limbs, kimono, etc. are drawn with ink.
And it is finally completed through a process such as coloring. It has a height of up to 5m and a width of up to 9m, it has a production period of about 3 months, the number of people to produce about 300, and a total of about 20 million yen.
During the production period, Lasselaand, a hut for producing and storing the Nebuta is made in a corner of the blue sea park, which is about a 7-minute walk from JR Aomori Station, so you can see it from the outside if there is a hut with an open entrance.
"Aomori Nebuta Festival" is held every year on August 2-7 regardless of the day of the week. This year, Saturday is the first day of 2025, and it is also held on the weekend. The highlights of each day are as follows.
| 2nd, 3rd (night) | Children Nebuta/Large Nebuta |
| 4th, 5th, 6th (night) | Large Nebuta |
| 7th (day)/(night) | Large Nebuta/Aomori Fireworks Show, Nebuta Marine Service |
In the "Children Nebuta", which will be held in the first half, about 10 Nebuta produced by community children's associations and kindergartens appear; children and their parents pull floats and mingle around.
The number of large Nebuta will change depending on the day, but 15 to 20 vehicles will be operated. On the 2nd to 5th, there will be a large Nebuta screening, and on the 6th to 7th, the award-winning group will be presented. On the 7th of the last day, a fireworks show will be held at Aomori Port from 19:15 to 21:00.
And the climax is the "Nebuta Marine Operation"; the award Nebuta and four others participate in it, ride on top of the floe, and run through Aomori Port; a collaboration between Nebuta and fireworks drifting over the sea, the six-day-long festival will also have a finale.
The festival runs on the roadside of the city center.
Even if you do not buy bleachers, you can see the state of the festival from various places, but the crowds are inevitable because of the very popular festival.
Individual bleachers (9 people or less) are sold for 3500 yen (with brochures), so it is recommended for those who want to see it slowly.
Fireworks display also sells seats separately (seats A from 4500 yen), so if you want to purchase, check the official homepage (http:// aomorihanabitaikai.jp/).
During the festival, the hotel is filled from an early stage.
If you can't get an inn, stay outside of Aomori City, or the price tends to be high, but let's aim for the cancellation of the last time.
In addition, traffic restrictions are imposed within the service course area, vehicles are in and out of the area is NG. Extraordinary parking is provided at a distance of about 10 minutes by car. However, traffic congestion is also expected, so use of public transportation is recommended.
And the dancers called "Haneto" will enliven this festival. "Lasserer, Lasserer!" when there are many, about 2000 people jump up and down with the clakery! The whole area is enveloped in tremendous heat and swirl of excitement.
In fact, this Haneto is a general participant OK! If you wear formal costumes that can be purchased or rented in the city, you can mix and dance together.♪(Purchase is 10,000 yen, rental is around 4000 yen)
Haneto which can be participated freely "anyone" and "without prior application". Get in costume and gather at the large Nebuta waiting place before departure!
The examination of the large Nebuta will be held from August 2nd to 5th. While emphasizing the tradition, the "expression" such as the feeling of movement and heaviness, the "composition" such as the overall look and balance, the "color" such as the ink line and effective color use, the "light and dark" of whether it is effective lighting, the "degree of delicacy" of whether valid fineness is found in the examination items.
It was judged on a 100-point scale, and had each award, including the Governor's Award, the Mayor's Award, and the Best Producer Award, with the most honorable being the "Nebuta Grand Prize". It is awarded to an organization that has comprehensive excellence, such as services, Haneto, and Hayashi, mainly based on the production of Nebuta.
The results of the examination will be announced late on the night of August 5, and the winning group will participate in the service on the 6th to 7th with a price, and will appear again with great cheers.
Before enjoying the Nebuta Festival, check out Aomori's specialty gourmet♪
The "gyosai Center" is a market that was founded in 1969. Locally called "Furukawa Ichiba", it is known as the kitchen of Aomori citizens. There are 28 or so stores, including a fresh fish store and a prepared food store, and fresh fish and processed products are collected. For tourists, "Nokke-don", which can make their own rice bowl, is very popular.
Buy a meal ticket at the office or at a meal ticket dealer. There are 170 yen for one ticket and 2000 yen for 10 tickets. Even if you choose luxury material such as raw sea urchin and natural salmon roe, you can afford the ticket ant. Add natural horse mackerel and greasy salmon to enjoy the melting seafood.
Address: 1-11-16 Furukawa, Aomori City
TEL:017-763-0085
Opening hours: 7-15 (depending on store)
Closed: Tuesday (with temporary holidays)
Parking: None
Period: Saturday, August 2-Thursday, August 7, 2025
Venue: Aomori City Center area
Phone: 017-723-7211 (Aomori Tourism Convention Association, Weekdays 8:30-17:15)
Time: [August 2-3] 19:00 departure [August 4-6] 18:45 departure [August 7] 13:00 departure (fireworks show, Nebuta sea service is from 19:15 to 21:00)
Transportation: 10-30 minutes walk from JR Aomori Station
Price: 3500 yen (with brochure)
URL:https:// www.nebuta.jp/
If you come to Hachinohe, the largest port town in Aomori Prefecture, the tourist spot ''HasshokuCenter'' is a kitchen for citizens who can enjoy fresh seafood gourmet even on the spot. Here are the points to fully enjoy the ''HasshokuCenter''♪
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