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 Hachinohe-sansha grand festival |
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The Hachinohe-sansha grand festival is a traditional, spectacular festival with a 280-year history From August 1 to 3, more than 20 splendid floats are jointly brought out to celebrate the festival with portable shrines from the three shrines of Ogami, Shinra and Shinmeigu, and materials from Kabuki and folklore. The eve of July 31 and the parade with the floats on the evening of August 2 are also exciting and one may not want to miss them.
 Date |
Festival from August 1 to 3 (the eve of the festival on July 31) |
| Place |
Central area of Hachinohe City |
| Transportation |
5 minutes on foot from Honhachinohe JR Station, Hachinohe Line |
| Inquiry |
Hachinohe Tourism Association: 0178-23-4771 |
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| Hirosaki Neputa festival |
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Hirosaki Neputa has been designated an important intangible national cultural heritage custom. It was first mentioned in history in 1722. The diary of the feudal domain recorded that the fifth lord of the feudal domain, Nobutoshi, watched Nebuta. Nepu-hayashi, festive music, with drums, pipes and gongs invigorates Neputa and spurs the people of Tsugaru into action. It is said that the third lord of the feudal domain Nobuyoshi, who was said never to be content with second best, had the "Tsugaru Jyoppari (stubborn) gigantic drum" made for the first time. Incidentally, in the dialect of Tsugaru, a stubborn person is still called "jyoppari" now.
| Date |
August 1 to 7 |
| Place |
Hirosaki City |
| Transportation |
Around Hirosaki JR Station, Ohu-honsen Line |
| Inquiry |
Hirosaki Municipal Tourist Center: 0172-37-5501 |
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| Aomori Nebuta festival |
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The Nebuta festival represents all the festivals of the Tsugaru area. Theories regarding the history of the festival are various but there is not one established theory. One theory is that the chief retainer of the founder of the Tsugaru feudal domain, Tamenobu Tsugaru, created the prototype of Aomori Nebuta. It is said that people walked in procession with big lanterns in the neighborhood of his residence in order to forget the heat of summer. Another theory is that that the festival started when the founder of the Tsugaru feudal domain, Tamenobu, showed big lanterns to the people of Kyoto during the Bon Festival in 1593 when he was staying there. A further theory says that the festival originated as a folk event called "Nemuri-nagashi" relating to the Star Festival. In Aomori Prefecture, the folk custom, "Nemuri-nagashi,h started before the establishment of the feudal domain and children paraded with lanterns suspended from bamboo poles in villages in July. The event was intended to wipe away the drowsiness that frequently attacked people around this season. There is a theory that "Nenpute," which means sleepy in the Tsugaru dialect was corrupted to "Neputa.h The most romantic theory is the legend of "Tamuramaro Sakanoue.h The legend goes that Tamuramaro Sakanoue came to Oushu as a general in the 800s in order to subdue Yezo, who did not obey the orders of the Imperial Court. He made big lanterns, lured Yezo (demons) by making noises with pipes, drums and hoes, and caught them instantly. As regards "Yezo" which also refers to part of Japan, many people may associate it with todayfs Hokkaido. However, according to various documents, Yezo appears to mean areas north of Tohoku at least until 1,000 when Tamuramaro Sakanoue traveled east to subdue them. This can also be backed up by the fact that "Yoritoki Abe", who was residing in and ruling the then Oushu, present day Iwate, called himself "the chief of Ezo."
The "Ougi Neputa" seen in the Hirosaki Neputa festival have heroic pictures on the front from the scenes of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" or "Heroes of the Marshes" and contrasting pictures on the back, that are called "okurie" or "miokurie", like the standing figures of beautiful enchanting women or drawings in India ink.
| Date |
* Procession of Nebuta
From around 6:20 PM to 9:00 PM on August 2 to August 6
From around 12:50 PM to 2:30 PM on August 7
* Procession of Nebuta at sea
From around 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM on August 7 at the Port of Aomori (scheduled)
* Fireworks display
From around 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM on August 7 in Aoiumi Park |
| Transportation |
10 minutes on foot from Aomori JR Station |
| Inquiry |
Aomori Tourism Association: 017-723-7211
Tourism Section, City of Aomori: 017-734-1111
<< Official site for Aomori Nebuta >> |
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| Tachi-neputa in Goshogawara |
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This is a dynamic festival where a procession marches for about 1.5 kilometers in the city with Neputa from various towns and organizations and a gigantic, powerfully overwhelming "Tachi-neputa" 22 meters high and weighing 16 tons . In the Meiji Era, it is said that people in neighboring towns and villages also could watch the festival. This year there will be three "Tachi-neputa" in the procession.
| Date |
August 3 to August 8 |
| Place |
All throughout Goshogawara City and the flood plains along the Iwaki River |
| Transportation |
10 minutes on foot from Goshogawara JR Station, Gono Line |
| Inquiry |
Goshogawara Chamber of Commerce: 0173-35-2121 |
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| One of the three most famous dances in Japan: Kuroishi Yosare |
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"Kuroishi Yosare" is one of the three most famous dances in Japan. It is said to have originated about 500 to 600 years ago as a chanting love song of love between a man and a woman. It became popular about 200 years ago. At that time, the chief retainer endeavored to invite people to the town of Kuroishi as a means to promote commerce, and this legacy has remained since. The procession with its 3,000 dancers is spectacular. Occasionally dancers move forward in circles and by dragging spectators into the circles they then start dancing boisterously. A firework display held on the last day is the highlight of the festival. This is a big event in Aomori Prefecture and people enjoy not only watching but also dancing together.
| Date |
August 15 to August 17 (7:00 PM on Aug. 17: Fireworks display) |
| Transportation |
Near Kuroishi Station, Konan Tetsudo Konan Line via Hirosaki JR Station, Ohu-honsen Line |
| Inquiry |
Kuroishi Tourism Association: 0172-52-3488 |
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| Tanabu festival |
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The "Tanabu festival" is the largest summer festival in Shimokita and highlights the summer festival season in Tohoku. Five gorgeously decorated floats parade in the city to the elegant musical accompaniment of Gionbayashi played on traditional Japanese instruments, and "Oshimako-nagashi dancing" livens up the parade. The highlight of the Goshawakare festival takes place on the night of August 20. People entertain with sake in a barrel and promise to hold the festival again the following year, lamenting the passing of summer.
| Date |
August 18 to August 20 |
| Place |
Tanabu district |
| Transportation |
Near Tanabu Station, Shimokita Kotsu Ohata Line |
| Inquiry |
Commerce and Tourism Section, City of Mutsu: 0175-22-1111 |
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All Rights Reserved. |