Aomori Nebuta Festival] We'll be closely following the "Hiroo Takenami Nebuta Research Institute," a series of articles on the Aomori Nebuta Festival! 2)
- Aomori
- Special Features
After being cancelled for two consecutive years since 2020 due to the new coronavirus, many fans have been waiting for the festival to return, but this year it will finally be held for the first time in three years!
*andtrip. will be starting a special project in preparation for the Aomori Nebuta Festival.
If you haven't checked out our previous article, check it out here!
Who is Hiroo Takenami Nebuta Research Institute?
It was established in January 2010 by Hiroo Takenami, a Nebuta artist, to create a year-round creative environment and to train successors.
With the production of large-scale Nebuta as its main focus, the institute also preserves and manages materials related to the history of Nebuta, plans and sells Nebuta-related products, and gives lectures and publishes.
The company also continues to expand and present new possibilities for paper and light sculpture, such as the creation of objects using the Nebuta technique.
Meet Hiroo Takenami!
Hiroo Takenami, who is also well known for his work with the JR Nebuta Project, was born in 1959 in Kizuki-cho, Nishitsugaru-gun (now Tsugaru City), Aomori Prefecture.
Since creating his first large-scale Nebuta in 1989, he has received numerous awards, including the Nebuta Grand Prize and the 30th NHK Tohoku Broadcasting Culture Award.
He has also produced Nebuta at the Tokyo Dome, Budapest, Los Angeles, and other venues in Japan and abroad.
While focusing on the creation and research of the Aomori Nebuta, he continues to pursue new possibilities for the Nebuta as a "form of paper and lights.
Main Works
1989: Debut of large Nebuta production; since then, annual productions.
1996: Nebuta in Budapest for the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Hungary.
1998 Katsusai Aomori Grand Festival, Tokyo Dome, Nebuta production
2005 Received the 13th Aogin Prize
2007 Nebuta production for Nisei Week in Los Angeles, U.S.A.
2010 Hiroo Takenami Nebuta Research Institute established
2012: 30th NHK Tohoku Broadcasting Culture Award
2015 Sheena Ringo's "Long Short Festival/Kamisama, Butsuri-sama", cooperation for use of CD jacket "Oma no Tenpijin Senrigan to Nezu", Nebuta production for Nisei Week in Los Angeles, U.S.A.
2016: "Arrowhead Mori Hachiman" medium-sized Nebuta production for Saimura, Aomori Prefecture
2017 Hotel Gajoen Tokyo "Japanese Light x Hyakudan Staircase" exhibition object
2017: "Soma Tarou Ryoumon: Practicing Yokujutsu", Nebuta for Nisei Week in Los Angeles, U.S.A., local production.
2019 Hoshino Resort Aomoriya, Aomori guest room "Aomori Nebuta no Ma" interior design supervision and object production
2020 Tokyo Station Square Zero: Created "Wind God and Thunder God" hanging Nebuta, and after the Nebuta Festival was canceled, drew "Shoki" for 100 consecutive days and posted on Instagram to pray for the end of the plague. Using crowdfunding, created a six-panel folding screen "Shoki Hyakusu" with 100 drawings of Shoki. Exhibited and presented at the Aomori Museum of Art.
2021: Hiroo Takenami publishes his first book of paintings, "Shoki Hyakusu" (One Hundred Plaques of Shoki).
Finally, we will get closer to the Nebuta production scene!
Next time, we will finally get a closer look at the actual production.
There are only a few months left until the 2022 Aomori Nebuta Festival.
Please don't miss our next post.
Take a tour of the precious "white Nebuta" before they are colored!
An early look at the new Nebuta Festival, which will be held for the first time in three years!
You will have a special opportunity to see the "white Nebuta" before they are colored, which are not usually open to the public, with a commentary by Nebuta master Hiroo Takenami.
In addition, a former Miss Nebuta from Tsuruta Town will guide you through the "Tsugaru" area, and a former Miss Towada from Towada City will guide you through the "Towada/Oirase" area from the perspective of a local.
This is a unique opportunity, so please join us.
For more information, please visit the " the package tour booking site of JR East View Tourism & Sales " website.