Aomori Nebuta Festival: The Year 2025 Edition! Aomori Nebuta Festival: The highlight of the festival is the colorful Nebuta and Haneto!

  • Aomori
  • Sightseeing
2024 JR Nebuta Project "Ashigara no Kintoki: Raikou wo Shitashitau" (Nebuta Production by Hiroo Takenami)
The time for the 2025 Aomori Nebuta Festival is approaching! During the Aomori Nebuta Festival, about 20 huge floats called "Nebuta" parade along 3.1 km in the center of Aomori City with drums and music.

The huge floats are 9 meters wide, 7 meters deep, and 5 meters high, and are very colorful! Many of the floats are based on historical tales, and the lights that illuminate the floats from the inside make the nighttime parade a fantastic sight.
Fantastic Nebuta performance

Aomori Nebuta Festival 2025 Schedule

The Aomori Nebuta Festival runs from August 2 to August 7 each year, with the Nebuta run in the daytime on the last day, August 7, and the fireworks display at night.

August 1 (Fri) Eve Festival
18:00-21:00 (tentative) (Venue: Aoi Sea Park Special Stage)
Various contests and events will be held. Food stalls, etc.

August 2 (Sat.), 3 (Sun.)
19:00- (Departure from the intersection of the first Nebuta Cooperative)
Operation of children's Nebuta (approx. 10) and large Nebuta (approx. 15)

August 4 (Mon.) - 6 (Wed.)
18:45- (Departure from the intersection of the first Nebuta Shinmachi Yanagi-cho)
Operation of large Nebuta (approx. 20)

August 7 (Thu)
13:00- (Departure from Shinmachi Shinmachi Yanagimachi intersection)
Operation of large Nebuta floats (approx. 20 floats to be operated)

19:15-21:00 (Venue: Aomori Port)
The 71st Aomori Fireworks Festival and Nebuta Sea Operation

*The schedule is for FY 2025. Please check the official website for the latest information.

How to enjoy Aomori Nebuta Festival

The Aomori Nebuta Festival is not only a sight to see, but also an enjoyable experience for tourists who can participate as haneto on the day of the festival or visit the Nebuta before the festival begins! In this article, we will introduce how to enjoy the Aomori Nebuta Festival in 2025.

No.1: Watch! Listen! Enjoy!

The Aomori Nebuta Festival is best enjoyed first by watching and listening. Since the festival is held at night, the sight of the huge, colorful floats moving through the darkness one after another in front of you is a sight to behold.

Please take your time to watch the dynamic movements of the floats as they are guided by the "fan-bearers" who guide the floats.
The floats move in accordance with the fan bearers.
Holding a fan in the shape of a flower
The sound of the flutes, drums, and gongs called "Nebuta Musical Instruments" is so powerful that you may find yourself moving to the rhythm of the music. (Jawamegu is a Tsugaru dialect word meaning "excited").
The lively and energetic hand gong
The flutes are played with power and vigor.
Nebuta is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Most Nebuta are torn down after the festival each year, so if you find one you like, take photos of it and enjoy the festival.

The award-winning nebuta are generally displayed at the Nebuta House Wa Rasse until they are replaced next year (with some exceptions).

How can I watch the festival?

The Nebuta route is fixed, and anyone can see the floats from the sidewalks along the route for free, with the exception of a few places where there are no paid spectator seats.

For example, some locals prefer to watch the Nebuta along the national highway because the road is wide and dynamic, while others prefer Shinmachi-dori, which runs from the front of the station, because the road is narrower and the Nebuta are closer to them.
Shinmachi Street is close to the Nebuta.
The streets along the route are crowded, so for those who want to see the Nebuta in a more relaxed atmosphere or for first-time visitors, individual seats for a fee are recommended. Individual bleacher seats are usually available at convenience stores nationwide from early July. For more information on paid bleacher seats, please visit the official website of the Aomori Nebuta Festival.
Aomori Nebuta Festival official website is here

No.2: Participate as a haneto and have fun!

One of the attractions of the Aomori Nebuta Festival is that tourists can not only watch but also participate in the festival.

Dancers called haneto jump around with the call of "rassera rassera" (rassera rassera). Tourists are welcome to participate as long as they are dressed in formal costumes. Some places will even dress you up, so please take this opportunity to try it on!♪
Haneto in formal attire (Nebuta House Wa Rasse)

How can I participate in Haneto?

Participation is easy! All you have to do is change into your costume and blend in with the Nebuta Haneto group waiting to go into battle. Of course, participation is free. Some groups do not allow people to jump in, so please feel free to ask around before you join. Also, since participation in the middle of the tour is also not permitted, please be on standby before the start time.
Waiting Nebuta
The jumping is like skipping, but you don't have to be bad at it! Watch the people around you and try to imitate them! You may even become friends with the locals who are jumping. ♪ You will most likely have sore muscles by the end of the festival, but you will be able to fully enjoy the fun of Nebuta by jumping.

Please refer to the official website of the Aomori Nebuta Festival for information on where you can borrow Nebuta costumes and the rules for participating in the festival.
Please come and join us!

No.3: Enjoy the daytime!

The Aomori Nebuta Festival is held at night except for the final day, but if you want to be fully immersed in the Nebuta during the day, we recommend the "Nebuta Guide" provided by the Aomori Nebuta Russelland Guide Team.
Nebuta Raseland
Take the seaside route from in front of the station
The Nebuta Guide Office is located behind the Aomori Prefectural Tourism and Products Museum ASPAM, a seven-minute walk from Aomori Station along the seafront, and offers free guided tours of the festival. You will be guided in detail about the origins and origin of Nebuta, how the festival works, and how Nebuta is made.

Applications: Tuesday, July 1 - Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Hours: 10:00 - 12:00 (last admission: 11:30), 13:00 - 15:00 (last admission: 14:30)
Applications: At the Nebuta House Information Desk Please apply directly
Reservations: Reservations can be made for individual visitors

[Notes]
・The number of people that can be guided at one time is limited to 10 people. We do not accept groups such as travel tours.
The guided tour is estimated to last approximately 20 minutes.
Photographing the Nebuta before they are completed (before the unveiling or raising of the dais) is prohibited.
Please do not talk to the production staff in the Nebuta hut or otherwise interfere with their work.

Please refer to the official website of the Aomori Nebuta Festival for more information.

No.4: Enjoy Nebuta spots!

Let's enjoy Aomori Nebuta to the fullest! Here are some other Nebuta spots within walking distance from JR Aomori Station.

Nebuta House "Wa Rasse

Nebuta House Wa Rasse is located a short walk from JR Aomori Station. In the paid area of the museum, you can learn about Nebuta, and large Nebuta floats, including last year's award-winning Nebuta, are on display. While you may be overwhelmed by the dynamic Nebuta during the festival, you can take a closer look at the carefully crafted Nebuta at Wa Rasse and discover something new.
Nebuta House Wa Rasse (red building)
Large Nebuta floats in the pay area!
The staff also offers Nebuta music performances and hands-on Nebuta experience, so a visit at the right time is recommended. There are also many Nebuta-related souvenirs for sale.

For more information on admission fees, experience times, etc., please visit the official website of Nebuta House Wa Russe.
Nebuta House Wa Rasse official website is here

Aomori Tourism and Products Museum ASPAM

Aomori Sightseeing Products Museum ASPAM recommends the observation deck on the 13th floor! The "Stained Glass Style Nebuta Pictures" created by Hiroo Takenami, a Nebuta artist (Nebuta master), and Shigeki Tezuka, also a Nebuta master, are on display.
Aomori Prefectural Tourism and Products Museum ASPAM 13th Floor Observation Deck
Nebuta hut looking down from the observation deck
This one is themed around the 400th anniversary of the opening of the port of Aomori. It is a new approach that expresses stained glass while using the Nebuta technique. The black lines are made of black ink.

From the observatory, you can also look down to see the Nebuta being unveiled from the Nebuta huts during the Nebuta Festival.

Another recommended attraction at the Aomori Sightseeing Products Museum ASPAM is the "360° Theater" on the second floor. Here you can watch "The Soul of Aomori Festival (approx. 7 min.)," a powerful video presentation of festivals in Aomori Prefecture, including the Aomori Nebuta Festival. This is a set screening with seasonal videos.

Both the observation deck and theater are fee-based, but they are well worth a visit.
Aomori Prefectural Tourism and Products Museum ASPAM official website is here

Here is a special report on the Nebuta production this year!

Hiroo Takenami is working on this year's Nebuta for the JR Nebuta Project, and in 2023 he was selected as the 7th "Nebuta Meijin" in recognition of his efforts to date. He has received numerous awards, including the "Best Creator Award," given to the most outstanding Nebuta creator, and is also actively working on new projects such as stained glass-style Nebuta paintings.

For more information on Hiroo Takenami, please see the official website of the Hiroo Takenami Nebuta Research Institute below and last year's series of articles.
Hiroo Takenami Nebuta Research Institute Official HP

Click here to see the current Nebuta

Here we will update you on the ongoing production of the "JR Nebuta Execution Project" Nebuta! *This photo was taken with special permission.

This year's Nebuta is "Nyuunryu: Calling the Wind". This year's Nebuta depicts Nyuunryu, the great hero of Suikoden, the golden-winged Oryu (dragon) that follows Nyuunryu, and the wind god.
White Nebuta in early June.
You can see how carefully they are made.
This is a pre-colored version, also called a "white Nebuta. You can clearly see the beauty of the modeling. There are many fans of the "White Nebuta" because they can take a good look at the delicate and bold workmanship. Even the smallest parts are carefully crafted. When the lights are turned on, the lines of the wire stand out clearly, making it look like a completed work of art.
White Nebuta with the lights on
Around mid-June
The white Nebuta have been inked! Each Nebuta master has his/her own unique way of applying the ink, so please take a look at the Nebuta during the event. The white pattern in the photo above is the "wax writing" part. It is drawn with melted paraffin and comes to life when the lights are turned on. We are looking forward to the completion of the Nebuta, which is being built little by little!

The Nebuta Festival is hot again this year!

Summer in Aomori means the Nebuta Festival. It is the festival where people's energy is at its peak after a long winter. The festival is a must-see for all visitors to Aomori, and the sight of the heroic Nebuta floats glowing in the night sky, the sound of the festival music, and the lively atmosphere of the many Haneto will surely be an unforgettable memory. Please come and enjoy the summer in Aomori this year!
The Nebuta in full swing!

Can't find a place to stay in Aomori? If you can't find a place to stay in Aomori...

Because the Aomori Nebuta Festival attracts tourists from all over the country, it can be difficult to find accommodations. In such cases, you can go a little further and JR East View Dynamic Rail Package accommodations in Hakodate or Morioka.

Enjoy the Aomori Nebuta Festival with the package tour booking site of JR East View Tourism & Sales!

The Aomori Nebuta Festival is held every year from August 2 to 7, attracting many tourists from all over Japan! What attracts people the most are the floats, which are full of power. The main attraction of the festival is the impressive floats, called "Ningyo Nebuta," which are huge floats themed on Kabuki plays and historical stories, and parade through the main streets of Aomori City. Japan Travel by Rail offers a variety of tours to enjoy the Aomori Nebuta Festival!

Combine your favorite train with lodging or a day trip plan for a great travel experience!

You can make your own original trip!

The " JR East View Dynamic Rail Package " is a variable-price individual travel product available only on the web, which allows you to choose your train and accommodations freely and apply for them all at once. Depending on the timing and conditions of your application, you may be able to save even on the day of departure at the earliest! We also offer one-day trip plans! Enjoy your own trip according to your schedule and purpose.
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