Float in Nebuta Matsuri @ Aomori
There are many Nebuta festivals throughout the country, but the largest is held in Aomori in the Tōhoku Region from August 2 through 7th.
Nebuta are floats made from rice paper stretched and pasted over a wooden or wire frame. The paper is brightly painted with kabuki scenes, gods, mythological creatures, and even famous TV personalities. The smallest are lanterns carried by children, the largest are massive structures up to 8 meters (26 feet) high and 15 meters (49 feet) long. These huge floats are mounted on carts pulled by up to 50 people. They are paraded through town to the accompaniment of taiko and flute music and dancers wearing traditional costumes called haneto and hats covered with flowers. At night, the floats are lit with bulbs which make them glow from within. On the last day of the festival, the floats are put on boats and sailed around Aomori Harbor.
English: nebuta 日本語: ねぶた (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The origins of the festival are shrouded in history. The most popular theory is that in the 800’s, General Sakanoue no Tamuramaru had his men create giant paper figures to intimidate an approaching army, but there is no evidence that he ever fought a battle in the Aomori area, rendering this explanation unlikely. Less colorful but more probable is that the roots are in the Tanabata Festival, and those small paper lanterns evolved into the spectacular assemblages used today. A different theory is that “Nebuta” means “sleepy,” so the festival was designed to wake up sleepy souls in preparation for the busy harvest season to come. Whatever the explanation, the festival is centuries old and draws visitors from around the world to see the beautiful floats which take a whole year to create.
日本語: ハネト（跳人）の正装 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There are about 20 of the giant floats in the festival, and many smaller ones. On August 2nd and 3rd, there is a kid’s parade in the evenings, and only a few of the main floats make an appearance. The large ones are displayed in the evening of the 4th through 6th, and the final day, the 7th of August, has a huge parade with all of the floats, ending with a display on the water at about 9 pm. The main parade starts about 6:30 pm. It is kicked off with a fireworks display that indicates to the float bearers that it is time to begin. The floats are spread along the parade circle, and rotate counter-clockwise so that there is no one place where they all start and finish.
A really nice video shot in HD by Ronald Stark shows his visit to the Aomori Nebuta Festival on 2 August 2012. This was the first night of the festival, which runs for 6 days.
The Aomori Nebuta festival encourages visitors to join in the dancing; everyone in the parade must wear the haneto, which can be bought or rented at many locations around town in the weeks preceding the festival. You must gather at a designated point 30 minutes before the parade begins and can not join after it has started.
Nebuta being staged to the parade
Unfortunately the festival has been plagued in recent years by black-clad gangs referred to as karasu-zoku, or “crow gangs.” They are known for committing vandalism and minor crimes. The Aomori police, working together with volunteers and city planners, has been doing their best to contain and eradicate the problem. Even so, it is advisable to take basic precautions with hiding valuables and using common sense when visiting during this time.
日本語: 渋谷センター街ねぶた 2009年 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Aomori City is located in Aomori Prefecture in the north of Japan. From Tokyo, you can travel by plane or train. Take the JR Tohoku shinkansen from Tokyo to Hachinohe, then transfer to a limited express for Aomori. Total travel time is about 4 hours. For more information on the Nebuta Matsuri: http://www.nebuta.or.jp/english/index_e.htm
