Nebuta Matsuri Festival, Aomori

The Aomori Nebuta Festival is a representative summer festival in Japan that attracts more than 2.5 million visitors from around the world. During the Aomori Nebuta Festival, a gorgeously colored lantern “Nebuta” walks around the city with the shout of “Lasselar !, Lasselar!”
The biggest feature of the Aomori Nebuta Festival is the “large Nebuta”. The large nebuta is 9 meters wide, 7 meters deep, 5 meters high, and weighs about 4 tons including the bogie. The giant of light that colors the night of Aomori will overwhelm the viewer.
Large Nebuta is produced by Nebuta crafts men who inherit the tradition. The nebuta, which has been carefully drawn to every detail, is truly a work of art.
The crafts men draw a sketch from the fall and winter. A Nebuta production hut will be built in late April and production of the Nebuta will begin. Nebuta body is completed after passing through the framework, electrical wiring, paper beam, Kakiwari, and coloring. After that, they are put on a cart to carry the nebuta and prepare for the festival performance.
A puller of 20 to 30 people dynamically manipulates a huge nebuta. It is wonderful that the puller moves the nebula with a breath. Nebuta has no brakes. Nebula is controlled using the whole body.
The leading role of Nebuta is called “Fan Holder”. Move the fan to give instructions on the direction and rotation. The pullers movesthe nebula according to the instructions of the fan holder. It is a must-see for how to match the breathing of the fan holders and the pullers.
At the Aomori Nebuta Festival, a dancer called “Haneto” dance and jump to the shout of “Lasselar!, Lasselar!”. With the voice of “Lasselar !, Lasselar!”, Haneto’s circles are expanding and the festival voltage is at its peak. You can enjoy the unique uplifting feeling unique to the Aomori Nebuta Festival.
“Hayashi-kata” (people who play hayashi, or the musical accompaniment). Hayashi-kata, which is composed of flutes, taiko drums, and handy cymbals, adds glory to the Nebuta Festival.
The Aomori Nebuta Festival is a grand event. Make your heart dance with the shout of “Lasselar !, Lasselar!” And enjoy the exhilaration unique to the Aomori Nebuta Festival.

The significant intangible folk cultural asset

“Aomori Nebuta Festival” will be held from August 2 to 7 every year in Aomori Prefecture in the Tohoku region. Together with “Akita Kanto Festival” and “Sendai Tanabata Festival“, it is called “one of the three major festivals in the Tohoku region” and it is one of Japan’s most important festivals where more than 3 million tourists from all over the country rush. Because of the tradition and importance of the festival, it has been designated a significant intangible folk cultural asset of the country. “Aomori Nebuta Festival” is popular not only for watching but also for festivals where you can participate.
The characteristic of this festival is the huge “Nebuta” with a light in. Furthermore, the attractiveness of the participants called “Haneto” is also one of the attractions. Nebuta is held not only in Aomori City but also in Tohoku region. Its origin is derived from SAKANOUE no Tamuramaro who was the Generalissimo for the Subjugation of Barbarians of the Heian period. It is said that “In order to punish Emishi (northern/northeastern barbarians) that had dominated the Tohoku district, he burned the battlefield with lanterns and made a whistle and drum up.” There is also a theory that it is Nebuta that the Tanabata event and the Bon festive fire and sending fire changed together.

Gorgeous doll warrior

During the period of the festival, the Dashi (festival car) of the gorgeous doll warrior called  “Nebuta” that modelled a picture of samurai parade through the city with a vigorous shouts “Lasselar!, Lasselar!”.
On the course of 3.1 kilometers in length in front of Aomori station, Nebuta gathers one after another by the start time, and all Nebuta starts to drive the roadway all at once. The dynamic struggle pictures such as Busho (Japanese Military Commanders), Oni (ogre), Dragon, etc. painted on Nebuta, and its maximum size is about 5 meters in height and 9 meters in width. Especially because it is lighting up at night, it is very beautiful. The sound of the drum echoes from the ground to the stomach and can be enjoyed not only by the eyes but also the whole body.

20 million yen

The “Nebuta” is the festival car with the large “Haribote” (lantern-skin doll). Its production cost is approximately 20 million yen, and It takes three months to build the Nebuta.

“Haneto” wore colorful clothes jump up and down

20 or more of large-scale Nebuta depart and are moved approximately 3.1km, with the musical accompaniment of flutes and drums, the energy of “Haneto”(leaper) who wore colorful clothes jump up and down, and the festival came to a climax.

The representative of Tohoku

In addition, the fireworks display to be held on the night of August 7 which is the last day of festival and the marine service of Nebuta is one of summer feature in Aomori that the representative of Tohoku.

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