Aomori Nebuta Festival

This summer festival held in Aomori City is known as one of the three major festivals in the Tohoku region. The festival has a long history and is designated as a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Asset.

The festival is held from August 2 to 7 and attracts more than 2 million tourists every year. The festival begins with the Asamushi Onsen Fireworks Festival on the 1st and the eve of the festival on a special stage in Aoi Umi Park.

On the nights of the 2nd and 3rd, about 15 children’s and large Nebuta floats will be operated, and on the nights of the 4th through the 6th, about 20 large Nebuta floats will be operated.

On the 7th, the Nebuta will be operated during the daytime, and the night will end with a fireworks display and the winning Nebuta being carried out to sea.

The origin of the Aomori Nebuta Festival was believed to come from a legend that Tamuramaro Sakagami once used a large lantern, flute, and drums to catch his enemies off guard and lure them away.

Today, Aomori’s Nebuta Festival is believed to be a variation of the indigenous Tanabata Festival and the Sleeping Beauty Festival (misogi-exorcism) found throughout Japan.

Nebuta dolls were originally made of a skeleton of bent bamboo and painted on Japanese paper with a brush. However, in the 1950s, Nebuta master Kitagawa Keizo revolutionized Nebuta expression when he created intricately crafted Nebuta, using wire to make each finger one by one.

Although there was some opposition at the time, it eventually became mainstream due to its expressive power. Kitagawa succeeded in replacing the internal lights of the candles with fluorescent lights and placing batteries on the pedestal, enhancing the artistic quality and perfection of his work. As a result, he was later described as the “God of Nebuta.

Nebuta are often based on Japanese and Chinese legends, historical figures, Kabuki, Shinto gods and Buddha, etc. In recent years, local legends, great figures, and TV programs (especially NHK Taiga Drama) have also been used as subjects for Nebuta.