Aomori Nebuta Festival, Aug 1-7, 2008
Cultural News, February 2008
The Aomori Nebuta Festival is annually held at the downtown Aomori, the northernmost city on Japan’s main island, from Aug. 1 through Aug. 7. Over three millions spectators are drawn to Aomori city with a 300,000- population during the festival. (Courtesy of Aomori prefectural government)
The bright and colorfully designed Nebuta floats are accompanied by people who take on their own role: the haneto, the dancers who skip feverishly around the Nebuta float while chanting “Rassera.” (Courtesy of Aomori prefectural government)
On August 19, 2007, the people of Los Angeles were amazed to see a gigantic Nebuta float depicting the 16th century warlord Takeda Shingen at the Nisei Week Japanese Festival on the streets of Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. The float was shipped from Aomori city, northern Japan, through the goodwill of the Aomori people to provide the opportunity for people in a foreign country to experience the excitement of a centuries-old Japanese festival.
Cultural News would like to provide the following travel information in order to encourage visitors to explore Aomori city and its authentic Japanese traditions this summer.
The Aomori Nebuta Festival, designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Heritage, is held annually in the downtown Aomori from Aug. 1 through Aug. 7. Over three millions spectators are drawn to Aomori city with a 300,000- population during the festival.
Aomori city is roughly located in the middle of Aomori prefecture, the northernmost prefecture on the main island of Honshu. Aomori is blessed with a mountainous surrounding with a border to the sea, allowing it to have a rich, natural environment.
The Aomori airport, which is located on the outskirts of the city, handles not only domestic flights to Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, but also international flights to Khabarovsk, Russia and Seoul, South Korea. In 2010, the Shinkansen bullet train line is scheduled to extend its services to Aomori city.
To come to Aomori from Los Angeles, it is most convenient to fly to Narita International Airport near Tokyo or to Incheon International Airport in South Korea.
From Narita, travelers can take ground transportation to Haneda Airport in Tokyo, then catch a domestic flight to Aomori. The Japan Airlines flight to Aomori takes 70 minutes. The bus ride from Aomori Airport to Aomori JR Station takes an additional thirty-five minutes.
A four-hour ride on the Shinkansen bullet train costs 17,000 yen one-way, leaving JR Tokyo station for Hachinohe station with a local line connection to Aomori. Foreign travelers should purchase a discount Japan Rail Pass before leaving their respective countries and arriving in Japan.
Bus service between Tokyo and Aomori is also available with a 10-hour ride costing between 5,000 yen to 10,500 yen one way.
The history of Aomori city can be traced to the Jomon period (4000-5500 years ago). The greatest remains of a Jomon settlement can be found in Aomori city at Sannai-Maruyama, a precious historical site where people settled for about 1500 years from the early-mid Jomon period. The site was designated a National Historic Site in 1997 and a National Historic Treasure in 2000.
The Mt. Hakkoda National Park is a must-see in all seasons with flowers blooming in spring and summer, the fiery foliage in fall, and trees completely caked in icy snow, known by the local people as “snow monsters,” in the winter.
Aomori city’s appeal stems from its rich natural treasures unique to the area. It also boasts one of the highest productions of apples in Japan, as well as the best tasting certified tap water in Japan.
Aomori city has four distinct seasons, but perhaps the most remarkable season would be winter. Aomori city has the world’s highest snowfall for a city with a population of over 300,000, and from December to March, the city becomes completely buried in snow. The Aomori Nebuta Festival is a release of the abundance of energy accumulated during the long winter months as it moves into the short summer.
Nebuta is gorgeous and colorful three-dimensional floats: Bamboo and wooden frames are covered with paper illustrated with warrior dolls and some resemblance to Kabuki; These are illuminated from inside and the floats proceed with the haneto dancers in the sounds of taiko and festival music.
The annual Aomori Nebuta Fesitval is held officially from August 2 to 7. On Aug. 1, the pre-festival event takes place at the Nebuta Rasseland inside the Aoi Umi Park along the seashore at 6 p.m. The Asamushi Onsen (hot springs) fireworks display begins at 7 p.m. at Sunset Beach in Asamushi.
The Nebuta Float Parade takes place from Aug. 2 to Aug. 6 in the night. The Nebuta floats begin to move after dark at 7:10 p.m. and the parade continues until 9 p.m. On Aug. 7, the parade is held in the daytime, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., then the fireworks display is shown and the Nebuta Sea Parade takes place at Aomori Port at night, from 7 p.m. through 9 p.m.
Over twenty Nebuta floats are pushed and pulled along Shinmachi-dori, Heiwa-koen-dori, Routes 4 & 7, and ASPAM-dori in a clockwise direction. There is no starting point nor ending point except on Aug. 7, on the Nebuta parade route. Nebuta floats line up along the route at the same time and move in the same direction.
On the most popular days on Aug. 5 and 6, the number of spectators would reach between 600,000 and 700,000 each day. The number of the haneto dancers would reach between 20,000 and 30,000 at the same time.
The first record of Nebuta in Aomori city dates back to 1842. Over its long tradition, the size of the Nebuta floats have gradually increased. Currently the Nebuta festival consists of about 22 to 24 floats, with each float averaging about 17 feet high, 30 feet wide, and 24 feet long.
The bright and colorfully designed Nebuta floats are accompanied by people who take on their own role: the hayashikata, the musical bands which play the bold yet mournful melody of the festival, as well as the haneto, the dancers who skip feverishly around the Nebuta float while chanting “Rassera.”
Spectators are encouraged to participate in the parade by wearing haneto costumes: yukata (summer kimono), hanagasa (floral straw hat), tasuki (colored strips of cloth around the body), while bells clipped onto the outfits ring out during the parade. Costume rental is also available at several locations in the city.
On the last day of the festival, August 7, the Nebuta floats are loaded on a barge and are towed around in the sea. This is said to be reminiscent of the lantern floating practices common at this time in Japan. There is also a large fireworks show, colorfully lighting up the night sky in a dramatic ending to the festival.
Aomori people prepare Nebuta floats for one year. But from July 1 through Aug. 6, an assembly of each Nebuta float is proceeding in a shack at the Rasseland in the downtown Aomori. The Nebuta floats in shacks are open to public for viewing during this period.
Besides Los Angeles, Nebuta floats have visited Nice in France, Carnival in Sao Paulo in Brazil, Hawaii, Beijing, Belgium, and Denmark in hopes of promoting Japanese culture and goodwill. In 2001, The British Museum held an exhibition of the Aomori Nebuta floats, showing the assembly of the float. In August 2007, a Nebuta float was brought to Los Angeles in its first visit to the U.S. mainland.
Although the Nebuta festival carries a heavy Japanese tradition, it becomes a source of inspiration for all people around the world.
The Aomori City Tourist Information Center welcomes inquiries from overseas at aoinfo@jomon.ne.jp. General information about Japan is found at www.jnto.go.jp. Hotel reservation during the Aomori Nebuta Festival is very tight. Earlier reservation is recommended.