Dates: Aomori Nebuta Matsuri: August 2nd-7th
Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri: August 1st-7th
Place: Aomori Nebuta Matsuri: throughout Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture
Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri: throughout Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture
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Aomori Nebuta Matsuri
The greatest attractions of the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri are the gorgeous and colourful three-dimensional nebutas’ designed after warrior dolls bearing some resemblance to Kabuki that most recognise as the similar fearsome warriors painted on Japanese kites. These three-dimensional sculptures can be as big as 5m high and 10m long with the central feature Nebuta, twenty of these gigantic, brilliantly-paper sculptures are lit from within like paper lanterns, and travel on floats through the streets of Aomori.
The first two days of the festival are dedicated to children, who take part by pulling the smaller floats themselves. The main festival is held over the following three nights where you can join in as a dancer (the steps are wonderfully simple) by hiring a ‘haneto’ costume locally and dancing merrily to the sounds of drums and festival music. On the final night, the gigantic sculptures are transferred to boats and paraded against a backdrop of fireworks.
Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri
Like the Aomori Nebuta Festival, huge painted paper sculptures are paraded through the night streets, illuminated from within. The Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri is characterised by 60 small and large fan-shapes, generally with two sides. One portrays a historical battle scene while the reverse shows a beautiful woman, often framed by scenes of death. The local view is that Hirosaki reflects the sombre mood of preparation for war, in comparison to the jubilant return from a victorious battle expressed by the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri.
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