Rise of the Nebuta
Aomori is home to the largest Nebuta festival in the world, but we had no idea what this meant to the people of Aomori until we stepped out of Aomori’s train station for the first time.
Every summer, thousands of visitors descend on Aomori for the Nebuta Matsuri, a festival where dozens of skillfully-crafted floats of highly stylized warriors are carried by dancers through Aomori’s streets. But the Nebuta just don’t disappear when the festival is over.
Nebuta are everywhere in Aomori.
Right in front of the train station is a billboard bearing the iconic visage of a Nebuta warrior.
When we reach our hotel, we are greeted by three large Nebuta samurai who live next door.
The samurai have seen better days, but they still pack quite a punch.
Even just walking down the street, you get the feeling that Nebuta are all around you.
We head for Aomori’s waterfront to take in the ocean view and end up following some nice old ladies into a museum. Surely we’ll escape the eternal gaze of the Nebuta in this peaceful place.
No such luck, because this is the Warasse Nebuta Museum, the headquarters of the Nebuta horde if there ever was one.
We accept our fate. After all, we are in Aomori, land of the Nebuta.
Summer in Aomori
- Northward at over 100mph — We leave Tokyo and head 400 miles to Japan’s northern tip.
- Tonkatsu & Apple Gyoza — First Meal in the North
- Quiet Streets of Aomori — Exploring Aomori’s peaceful streets
- A Mix of Modern & Tradition in Aomori — Old & New Living Together in Harmony
- Eating Nokke Don in Aomori — The freshest seafood in all Japan
- Rise of the Nebuta — They’re everywhere
- Hot Ramen on a Cold Night in Aomori — Hits the spot.
- The Signs of Amenity Street — How many can you figure out?
- Visiting Aomori’s Apple Factory — Aomori is all about the apples.
- Ohagi & Inari — They say the best things come in pairs.
- Leaving Aomori — It was fun, but it’s time to leave.