Six nights of giant illuminated floats rolling through downtown Aomori, August 2-7. Thousands of haneto dancers leap and shout 'Rassera!' as the nebuta glow against the summer sky.
| See all products | Work hours | About |
|---|---|---|
| Reserved grandstand (Aug 2-6 or Aug 7 daytime) | ¥4,000 | On sale |
| Aug 7 daytime parade + sea procession & fireworks set | ¥9,500 | On sale |
| Wheelchair-user reserved seat | ¥3,200 | On sale |
Nebuta Matsuri has been running in Aomori City every August since the early postwar years, and the festival was formally designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan in 1980. The origins go back further still, to Tanabata lantern customs and the legend of a general who used giant illuminated figures to lure enemy troops out of hiding. Whether that story is history or folklore, the floats themselves carry real weight. Each one takes a master nebuta-shi and a team of apprentices the better part of a year to complete, and when they finally roll out onto the circuit on the evening of August 2, the crowd feels it.
The festival runs for six days across downtown Aomori City and the port. Evening parades on August 2 through 6 begin at around 18:45 and move through the main circuit, with the haneto dancers running alongside every float, leaping and chanting 'Rassera!' to the beat of taiko drums and the high, insistent cry of the flute. August 2 and 3 also feature children's and community nebuta, which are smaller in scale but no less carefully made. The daytime parade on August 7 starts around 13:00 and is the only chance to see the floats in natural light. That evening, from 19:15 to 21:00, the prize-winning floats are loaded onto boats for the sea procession across Aomori Bay, with fireworks launched overhead.
Do I need a reserved seat, or can I watch for free?
Free standing areas exist along parts of the downtown circuit, and many people watch from there. The trade-off is that popular spots fill up well over an hour before the parade starts, and sightlines can be blocked. Reserved grandstand seats at ¥4,000 give you a fixed elevated position for the full procession. For the Aug 7 sea procession and fireworks, a ticket is required for the designated viewing area.
Can visitors join the haneto dancers?
Yes. If you rent or bring a proper haneto costume (happi coat, tasuki sash, straw hat, and bells), you can register to join the parade on any evening from August 2 through 6. Costume rental shops operate near the festival grounds. No prior dance experience is needed. The chant is 'Rassera, Rassera, Rassera-sa!' and you will pick it up within about thirty seconds of being in the crowd.
Where do I buy tickets?
Official reserved seat tickets are sold through the Nebuta Matsuri purchase page at https://www.nebuta.jp/info/purchase/. Tickets are on sale now. Evening grandstand seats for August 5 and 6, and the August 7 combined ticket, tend to sell out earliest. If you are travelling from overseas, buy before the end of July to be safe.
What is the Aug 7 combined ticket and is it worth it?
The ¥9,500 combined ticket covers both the daytime parade starting around 13:00 and the evening sea procession with fireworks from 19:15 to 21:00. It is the only ticket that includes the closing ceremony on Aomori Bay. If you can only attend one day of the festival, August 7 gives you the most variety: floats in daylight, then the same floats on boats at night with fireworks overhead.
Is there accessible seating?
Yes. Wheelchair-user reserved seats are available at ¥3,200 per person for the evening parades on August 2 through 6. The accessible viewing area is level, separated from the main standing crowd, and positioned for a direct view of the parade route. Capacity in this section is smaller than the main grandstand, so booking early is recommended.
How do I get to the festival from Tokyo or Osaka?
Aomori City is served by the Tohoku Shinkansen to Shin-Aomori Station, then a short local train ride to Aomori Station. From Tokyo the journey takes around three hours by bullet train. From Osaka, plan for around five to six hours with a transfer at Sendai or Tokyo. Aomori Station is a ten-minute walk from the main parade circuit.
“We booked the Aug 7 combined ticket and it was the right call. Watching the floats go out on the boats while the fireworks went off overhead was something I genuinely did not expect to be so moving.”
— Sarah M., Visitor from the UK, 2024
Free standing areas exist along parts of the downtown circuit, and many people watch from there. The trade-off is that popular spots fill up well over an hour before the parade starts, and sightlines can be blocked. Reserved grandstand seats at ¥4,000 give you a fixed elevated position for the full procession. For the Aug 7 sea procession and fireworks, a ticket is required for the designated viewing area.
Yes. If you rent or bring a proper haneto costume (happi coat, tasuki sash, straw hat, and bells), you can register to join the parade on any evening from August 2 through 6. Costume rental shops operate near the festival grounds. No prior dance experience is needed. The chant is 'Rassera, Rassera, Rassera-sa!' and you will pick it up within about thirty seconds of being in the crowd.
Official reserved seat tickets are sold through the Nebuta Matsuri purchase page at https://www.nebuta.jp/info/purchase/. Tickets are on sale now. Evening grandstand seats for August 5 and 6, and the August 7 combined ticket, tend to sell out earliest. If you are travelling from overseas, buy before the end of July to be safe.
The ¥9,500 combined ticket covers both the daytime parade starting around 13:00 and the evening sea procession with fireworks from 19:15 to 21:00. It is the only ticket that includes the closing ceremony on Aomori Bay. If you can only attend one day of the festival, August 7 gives you the most variety: floats in daylight, then the same floats on boats at night with fireworks overhead.
Yes. Wheelchair-user reserved seats are available at ¥3,200 per person for the evening parades on August 2 through 6. The accessible viewing area is level, separated from the main standing crowd, and positioned for a direct view of the parade route. Capacity in this section is smaller than the main grandstand, so booking early is recommended.
Aomori City is served by the Tohoku Shinkansen to Shin-Aomori Station, then a short local train ride to Aomori Station. From Tokyo the journey takes around three hours by bullet train. From Osaka, plan for around five to six hours with a transfer at Sendai or Tokyo. Aomori Station is a ten-minute walk from the main parade circuit.