This is how Aomori's summer burns! Nebuta and my festival spirit!

Hello everyone.
This is Fukushi from the Rhythm Town Sendai office.
When I say I'm from Aomori, people usually reply with "Apples?" or "Snow?", but I want to say it loud and clear.
When it comes to Aomori,Nebuta!!
So today, I would like to introduce "Nebuta," which is the pride of my hometown.

The origins of Nebuta are romantic

Even though we just say "Nebuta," the shape and name differ depending on the region, such as "Aomori Nebuta," "Hirosaki Neputa," and "Goshogawara Tachineputa."
Broadly speaking, Nebuta is characterized by three-dimensional dolls, while Neputa is characterized by fan-shaped floats.
Furthermore, the Goshogawara Tachineputa is a powerful festival where massive floats reaching 20 meters in height parade through the town.
Among these, I will introduce "Aomori Nebuta" this time.
The history of the Aomori Nebuta Festival is old, and it is believed to have begun with the combination of the Tanabata Festival, which was introduced from China during the Nara period, and the "Nemuri-nagashi" custom, which had long existed in the Tsugaru region for the purpose of sending off spirits.
The lantern floating of the Tanabata festival, which prays for good health, is one of its origins. Lantern floating spread during the Nara period and later evolved into "Nebuta," which are lantern dolls.
The "Nebuta-nagashi," where evil spirits and flows were sealed into lanterns and floated away, gradually changed into the "Nebuta Festival," where people carry the lanterns and parade around.

The current Nebuta festival has a style where dancers called "Haneto" parade through the streets powerfully while chanting "Rassera, Rassera." This chant of "Rassera, Rassera" originally came from the Tsugaru dialect "dase, dase," meaning "bring out more candles" or "bring out sake," which was used to urge the people pulling the Nebuta to provide supplies (candle money, sake money, etc.), and it became established as a chant to liven up the festival.
Haneto costumes involve tucking up the hem of the yukata to the knees to make it easier to move the legs and prepare for the intense movements of the dance. The waist of the yukata is secured with a sash, and a yellow waist cloth is wrapped around it.
Since the sleeves are long, to keep them fixed for ease of movement, brightly colored red or pink cloths are draped over the shoulders and tied like a ribbon on the back. Bells are attached to the yukata, and they jingle as they go.

Haneto are just so energetic! It's more fun to "jump" than to watch!

You jump and jump to the chant of "Rassera, Rassera," jumping until your voice is hoarse.
Because you jump wearing straw sandals, you get blisters, and with muscle pain, you think about taking a break from jumping tomorrow, but when the time comes, your heart dances, and you jump again holding hands with strangers, and you jump with your "keyagu" (translation: friends).
Saying "Wa mo na mo issho ni haneru beshi~" (translation: Let's jump together, you and me), the Haneto jump as if to break the road, and the festival music plays as if to tear the sky. That's when the Nebuta arrives.
The Nebuta stops right in front of the viewers, so you feel like you're being attacked by the Nebuta, which gives you a "nashite ga sappari suru" (translation: a feeling of refreshing mystery) sensation. Including that thrill, just watching it makes your heart burn.
If you turn around, there is a back painting on the back of the Nebuta. Recently, it has been becoming doll-shaped rather than a painting.
On the final day, the award-winning Nebuta are placed on boats and operated on the sea within Aomori Port.
It is held at the same time as a fireworks display that colors the night sky, and it ends with a magnificent finale.

Someday, let's do Rassera together!

I hope you will not just watch, but also wear a yukata, ring the bells, and participate as a Haneto. If it is difficult to go in the summer, there is a facility called "Nebuta-no-ie Warasse," so why not try seeing the large Nebuta and experiencing being a Haneto there?

And one more thing I would like to introduce is the picture book "Nebutada."
It depicts with beautiful pictures and gentle words what kind of thoughts go into making Nebuta and how they move through the town.
It is content that both children and adults can read, and it is a book where you can feel the breath of Nebuta every time you turn the page. It warms your heart to think, "So this is what Nebuta is," so please pick it up.

next Fukushi