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Discover the Three Types of Nebuta Festivals in Aomori in 2025! A Comprehensive Guide to Dates, Highlights, and Differences

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Publication on：March 5, 2025

The Nebuta Festival in Aomori Prefecture is one of Japan’s most famous summer celebrations. But did you know there are actually three different types of Nebuta festivals?

In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at the differences and unique features of these festivals, helping you make the most of your summer visit to Aomori.

Three Types of Nebuta Festivals: Nebuta, Neputa, and TachiNeputa

The Nebuta Festival in Aomori Prefecture can be divided into three major types:

  1. Nebuta Festival in Aomori City and surrounding areas
  2. Neputa Festival in Hirosaki City and surrounding areas
  3. Tachineputa Festival in Goshogawara City

Each festival has its own distinctive features, from the design of the floats to the music, chants, and costumes worn by participants. Since some festivals overlap in dates, why not visit multiple locations to experience their unique charms?

1. The Aomori Nebuta Festival: A Grand and Dazzling Celebration

The Aomori Nebuta Festival is one of the most highly attended festivals in the Tohoku region. In some years, the festival draws nearly 2.7 million visitors during its run, making it one of the top five festivals in Japan in terms of popularity. When people outside Aomori Prefecture think of “Nebuta,” it’s likely they imagine the Aomori Nebuta Festival.

The Aomori Nebuta Festival stands out for its sheer boldness and vibrant atmosphere. The floats, called Nebuta, are often shaped like intricate dolls, featuring three-dimensional structures built on sturdy frameworks. Many of these floats are massive, reaching the height of a three-story building and as wide as a temporary stage. As they parade through the streets, spectators along the roadside let out awestruck cheers of “Wow!”

The signature chant of the Aomori Nebuta Festival is “Rassera,” accompanied by lively, upbeat music known as Ohayashi. The Ohayashi tunes are designed to match the movement of the Nebuta and its procession, with variations such as “forward” or “return” rhythms. If you follow the same Nebuta for a while, you may get to hear multiple types of Ohayashi.

Equally important to the festival are the Haneto—energetic dancers who jump and leap around the Nebuta, adding to the festival’s infectious excitement. Visitors from outside Aomori can join the procession by purchasing or renting a Haneto outfit in advance. For more details, check the official Aomori Nebuta Festival website (Aomori Nebuta Festival_Official Site).

The Haneto costume is more than just a Yukata. It features a yellow Shigoki sash draped over the yukata, a pink cloth slung over the shoulder, and a flowered hat adorned with bells and flowers. As the dancers move, the bells jingle, adding a touch of brilliance to the festival.

On the final day, the festival concludes with a sea procession of the Nebuta. Illuminated Nebuta floats glide across the water against a backdrop of approximately 11,000 fireworks lighting up the night sky—a truly enchanting sight. From start to finish, the Aomori Nebuta Festival is a spectacle you can’t take your eyes off!

Event Details

2. Hirosaki Neputa Festival: A Sophisticated and Artistic Parade

The Hirosaki Neputa Festival is another major summer event in the Tohoku region, attracting over 1.5 million visitors annually. It ranks among the top three festivals in the region in terms of attendance.

A defining feature of the Hirosaki Neputa Festival is the Neputa floats, which are fan-shaped. With narrow bases and large arched tops, the floats are elegant yet striking. The paintings on the Neputa often depict vivid scenes of battles, ghosts, or monsters, which tend to be more eerie compared to those in other areas.

As the floats parade through wide streets, they sometimes come close to the spectators, offering an up-close view. They also zigzag along the route, ensuring that everyone gets a good look at the Neputa.

The festival chant is “Yah Yado,” a powerful cry that resonates from deep in the chest and instantly heightens the festive atmosphere.
One standout feature of the Ohayashi music is the rich sound of the taiko drums. Large taiko drums, as tall as a two- or three-story building, are played with drumsticks the size of a child’s height. The resounding drumbeats, paired with lively Yokobue, Japanese bamboo flutes, and Kane, Japanese gongs, create a vibrant and energetic ambiance.

Many participants wear matching Yukata or Happi coats, giving the festival a unified yet slightly calmer feel compared to the Aomori Nebuta Festival. Hirosaki Neputa Festival exudes a mix of liveliness and elegance, providing a more subdued atmosphere than its counterpart in Aomori City.

It is just a 45-minute train ride from JR Hirosaki Station to JR Aomori Station, and the two festivals’ dates largely overlap, visiting both festivals is highly recommended!

2.1. Hirakawa Neputa Festival

Source of photo：https://aomori-tourism.com/photos/detail_2038.html

Located to the east of Hirosaki City, Hirakawa City also hosts its own Neputa Festival.　With a short duration of only two days—August 2 and 3 each year—it’s a rare and unique event.

The Neputa in Hirakawa follow the style of Hirosaki’s fan-shaped floats. However, what sets Hirakawa’s Neputa apart is their monochrome aesthetic, resembling ink wash paintings. For example, a Neputa depicting a samurai might feature a face filled with a fiery expression and flames painted in red, while the weapons and armor remain in black and white. When illuminated at night, only the red portions seem to burn brightly, creating a distinct and immersive atmosphere.

The Ohayashi music draws from Hirosaki’s Neputa Festival but is played at a slightly faster tempo. The chants vary between “Yah Yado” and “Yare Yare Yare Yare,” adding diversity to the lively performance.

Most participants wear matching Happi coats specific to their group. Each group’s music and chants differ slightly, so it’s worth watching the procession from start to finish to experience the variety.

The nearest station to the festival route is Hiraga Station on the Konan Railway Line. It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes by train from JR Aomori Station or just 17 minutes from JR Hirosaki Station. Since Hirakawa is easily accessible from Hirosaki, it’s highly recommended to visit both cities’ Neputa festivals!

2.2. Kuroishi Neputa Festival

Source of photo：https://aomori-tourism.com/photos/detail_2033.html


South of Aomori City, Kuroishi City also holds its own Neputa Festival. Taking place earlier than most other Neputa festivals, it runs from July 30 to August 5 each year.

Like Hirosaki and Hirakawa, Kuroishi features fan-shaped Neputa. What makes Kuroishi unique is the coexistence of fan-shaped Neputa and doll-shaped Neputa. This combination is a distinctive feature exclusive to Kuroishi.

The Ohayashi music is divided into three sections: “Susume” (Move Forward), “Tomare” (Stop), and “Mondoriko.” While “Susume” is similar to Hirosaki’s style, “Tomare” and “Mondoriko” are unique to Kuroishi. The festival’s primary chant is “Yare Yare Yare Yare.”

Participants typically wear matching Happi coats according to their group. As with Hirakawa, each group has slight variations in their music and chants, so watching the entire procession is highly recommended.

The festival route is near Kuroishi Station on the Konan Railway Line. From JR Aomori Station, it takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes by bus, or around 36 minutes by train from JR Hirosaki Station. Enjoy the nostalgic atmosphere of the Kuroishi Neputa Festival and its traditional charm!

3. Goshogawara Tachineputa Festival: Towering Spectacles

Goshogawara City, located west of Aomori City, is a town with a population of about 51,000. Among the festivals in Aomori Prefecture, Goshogawara hosts a relatively new yet remarkable event.

The Nebuta floats in Goshogawara are known as “Goshogawara Tachineputa (五所川原立佞武多)”, with the defining feature being their immense height. True to the meaning of “立” (“standing”), the floats take on an upright form. These vertical, doll-shaped Nebuta are towering structures, with some exceeding 20 meters in height—equivalent to a 7-story building. Standing under one of these enormous floats, you can feel an awe-inspiring sense of scale and power.

Compared to other regions, the accompanying Ohayashi (festival music) of Goshogawara has a lighter and more cheerful tone, adding a vibrant energy to the festivities. The chant used is “Yattemare.” The festival is further enlivened by dozens of Haneto dancers leading the Tachineputa. The dancers’ costumes vary by group, showcasing individuality—from brightly colored Happi coats to vibrant Yukata adorned with floral hats.

The nearest station to the Tachineputa Festival route is JR Goshogawara Station, which is about 1 hour and 10 minutes by train from JR Aomori Station, or about 40 minutes by train from JR Hirosaki Station. The festival runs for five days, so be sure to visit and experience this impressive event.

  • Location: Goshogawara City
  • Dates: August 4 – August 8 (Same day every year regardless of the day of the week)
  • Official Information: Tachineputa Official Site

Let’s Go See the Aomori’s Unique Festivals, Where the Summer Night Sky Is Brightly Illuminated!

While their names sound similar, Aomori Prefecture’s Nebuta and Neputa festivals each boast unique and captivating characteristics. The atmosphere of the Nebuta paintings, costumes, and chants vary by region, offering something new to discover at every stop.

One common feature of these festivals is the intense energy that fills the venues, leaving visitors amazed. The illuminated floats that light up the summer night sky are so breathtakingly magical that they remain unforgettable.

Whether you focus on just one location or take advantage of the overlapping schedules to visit multiple festivals, you’re in for an extraordinary experience. Why not make summer 2025 one to remember by enjoying the vibrant Nebuta or Neputa festivals of Aomori Prefecture?