{"id":2133,"date":"2026-10-21T11:35:07","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T11:35:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thejapanpro.com\/blog\/?p=2133"},"modified":"2026-10-21T11:35:17","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T11:35:17","slug":"aomori-nebuta-festival-tohoku-summer-festivals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thejapanpro.com\/blog\/zh\/aomori-nebuta-festival-tohoku-summer-festivals\/","title":{"rendered":"Nebuta, Kanto and Tanabata 2027: Three Tohoku Summer Festivals in Six Days"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u53e6\u5916\uff0c Aomori Nebuta Festival<\/strong>, Akita Kanto and Sendai Tanabata run back to back in the first week of August, and with the Tohoku Shinkansen you can see all three in six days. In 2027 the expected dates are 2\u20137 August for Nebuta, 3\u20136 August for Kanto and 6\u20138 August for Tanabata, so the sweet spot is Tuesday 3 to Sunday 8 August 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guide gives you the day-by-day route with train times and 2026 fares, paid seats for each festival, how to dance in the Nebuta parade as a haneto (and where to rent the costume), and why you should be booking rooms now, in October 2026. For the full year of festivals, see our \u65e5\u672c\u796d\u5178\u65e5\u5386<\/a>. Everything was checked between 19 and 21 October 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n

3\u20138 Aug 2027<\/p>

Best six days (expected dates)<\/p><\/div>

\u00a535,000<\/p>

5-day JR EAST PASS, overseas visitors<\/p><\/div>

\u00a54,000<\/p>

Nebuta paid seat, 2026<\/p><\/div>

About \u00a54,000<\/p>

Haneto costume rental<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Aomori
A nebuta float in Aomori. Photo: Marie-Sophie Mejan<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When are the Tohoku summer festivals in 2027?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

None of the three organisers had announced 2027 dates when we checked. All three run on fixed calendar dates every year, so the dates below are marked \u9884\u8ba1<\/strong>; times are from the 2026 editions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Festival<\/th>2027 dates (expected)<\/th>Main event<\/th>Paid seats (2026)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Aomori Nebuta Festival<\/td>Mon 2 \u2013 Sat 7 Aug<\/td>Night parades from 19:00 (2\u20133 Aug) and 18:45 (4\u20136 Aug); day parade 13:00 and fireworks 19:15 on 7 Aug<\/td>\u00a54,000 (\u00a59,500 day parade + fireworks set)<\/td><\/tr>
Akita Kanto Matsuri<\/td>Tue 3 \u2013 Fri 6 Aug<\/td>Night performance about 19:00\u201320:50 on Kanto Odori; daytime contest 4\u20136 Aug<\/td>\u00a53,500\u2013\u00a54,500; six-person box \u00a528,000<\/td><\/tr>
Sendai Tanabata Matsuri<\/td>Fri 6 \u2013 Sun 8 Aug<\/td>Streamers in the shopping arcades, 10:00\u201321:00 (about 20:00 on the last day)<\/td>\u514d\u8d39<\/td><\/tr>
Sendai Tanabata fireworks<\/td>Thu 5 Aug<\/td>About 16,000 shells, 19:30\u201320:30 in 2026<\/td>Not announced for 2026<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sources: the official Nebuta<\/a>, \u5173\u4e1c<\/a> \u548c Tanabata<\/a> sites, Akita City\u2019s tourism site<\/a> \u548c Walkerplus<\/a> for the fireworks. Nebuta\u2019s site gives the dates as “every year, 2 to 7 August”, and Tanabata\u2019s as 6 to 8 August. The Sendai fireworks are also in our Japan fireworks calendar 2027<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 6-day Tohoku summer festivals itinerary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The order is forced by the calendar: Aomori first, then Akita, then Sendai, finishing on Tanabata\u2019s last day. Here is the route at a glance, using the expected 2027 dates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u8def\u7ebf<\/th>Date (2027)<\/th>Route<\/th>\u665a\u4e0a<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
1<\/td>Tue 3 Aug<\/td>Tokyo \u2192 Shin-Aomori \u2192 Aomori<\/td>Nebuta night parade from 19:00<\/td><\/tr>
2<\/td>Wed 4 Aug<\/td>Aomori (free day)<\/td>Nebuta from 18:45, dance as a haneto<\/td><\/tr>
3<\/td>Thu 5 Aug<\/td>Shin-Aomori \u2192 Morioka \u2192 Akita<\/td>Kanto night performance<\/td><\/tr>
4<\/td>Fri 6 Aug<\/td>Akita (daytime contest) \u2192 Sendai<\/td>Tanabata streets until 21:00<\/td><\/tr>
5<\/td>Sat 7 Aug<\/td>\u4ed9\u53f0<\/td>Tanabata, full day<\/td><\/tr>
6<\/td>Sun 8 Aug<\/td>Sendai \u2192 Tokyo<\/td>Home by evening<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Day 1 (Tue 3 Aug): Tokyo to the Aomori Nebuta Festival<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Take a morning Hayabusa from Tokyo to Shin-Aomori. Journey times run from about three hours to just under three and a half: the Hayabusa 34 we checked takes 3 hours 26 minutes in the other direction. Shin-Aomori is not in the city centre; change to the JR Ou Line for one stop to Aomori, where the parade route is a short walk from the station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drop your bags and be on the route by 18:30. On 2 and 3 August the children\u2019s nebuta lead off at 19:00, followed by about 15 of the big floats, per the official schedule<\/a>. It is a gentler first night than the full line-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day 2 (Wed 4 Aug): the full Nebuta night<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Keep the day light. Nebuta nights are long, loud and sweaty, especially if you join in. On 4\u20136 August about 20 large floats roll out from two starting points at 18:45 and loop anticlockwise around the city centre. The organisers warn that, depending on progress, not every float completes the loop before the road reopens, so do not arrive late expecting to see them all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the night to dance as a haneto (see below). Book your costume fitting for the afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day 3 (Thu 5 Aug): Aomori to Akita<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is no direct Shinkansen between Aomori and Akita. The quickest route is a Hayabusa from Shin-Aomori to Morioka (about 1 hour 6 minutes), then a Komachi from Morioka to Akita (about 1 hour 40 minutes). Allow three hours door to door with the change, and aim to be in Akita by mid-afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kanto poles enter Kanto Odori at about 18:50 and the performance runs to about 20:50; traffic closes from 18:15, per Akita City\u2019s tourism site<\/a>. Stay for the “fureai” (hands-on) kanto session at about 20:35, when spectators can get up close to the poles and performers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day 4 (Fri 6 Aug): Kanto by day, Sendai by night<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Spend the morning at the Kanto technique contest (Myogi Taikai) at the Area Nakaichi plaza. In 2026 it ran 9:00\u201315:40 on 4\u20135 August and 9:20\u201315:00 on 6 August. Then take an afternoon Komachi to Sendai: the Komachi couples to a Hayabusa at Morioka and runs straight through, about 2 hours 20 minutes in total.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check in and walk into the arcades. Tanabata day one runs until 21:00, and the evening is cooler than the middle of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day 5 (Sat 7 Aug): Sendai Tanabata<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The decorations hang in the covered shopping streets of central Sendai: Nakakecho, Clis Road, Sun Mall, Bland Dome, Ichibancho 4-chome and Omachi, per the official site. Go early: the arcades open at 10:00, and by the afternoon a Saturday crowd moves at shuffle pace. Walkerplus puts typical attendance at about 2 million over the three days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The official site runs guided walks with Sendai tourism staff and craft workshops during the festival; check the 2027 programme in July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day 6 (Sun 8 Aug): back to Tokyo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Take a last morning walk under the streamers, then a Hayabusa or Yamabiko to Tokyo. The fastest trains take about an hour and a half; our checked Hayabusa 34 runs Sendai 18:31 to Tokyo 20:04. Note that the final day closes earlier, at about 20:00.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want the fireworks too? Start a day earlier<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Shift everything back one day (Monday 2 to Saturday 7 August 2027) and you can be in Sendai on Thursday 5 August for the Tanabata fireworks: about 16,000 shells from 19:30 to 20:30 near Nishi Park in 2026, held in rain and cancelled only in a storm. The trade-off is one Kanto night instead of a full evening and a contest morning.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n

\"E5
The E5 Hayabusa and E6 Komachi run coupled as far as Morioka. Photo: Ka23 13<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n\n\n

How much do the trains cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These are JR East\u2019s regular-season e-ticket prices for one adult in a reserved standard seat, valid from 14 March 2026. JR East prices vary by season, so expect early August to be similar or slightly higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leg<\/th>\u706b\u8f66<\/th>\u65f6\u95f4<\/th>Fare (2026)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Tokyo \u2192 Shin-Aomori<\/td>Hayabusa<\/td>About 3\u20133\u00bd h<\/td>\u00a517,910<\/td><\/tr>
Shin-Aomori \u2192 Akita<\/td>Hayabusa + Komachi via Morioka<\/td>About 3 h<\/td>Check JR East fare search<\/td><\/tr>
Akita \u2192 Sendai<\/td>Komachi<\/td>About 2 h 20 min<\/td>Check JR East fare search<\/td><\/tr>
Sendai \u2192 Tokyo<\/td>Hayabusa or Yamabiko<\/td>About 1\u00bd h<\/td>\u00a511,110<\/td><\/tr>
\u5408\u8ba1<\/strong><\/td><\/td><\/td>Varies by route<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fares are from JR East\u2019s 2026 fare revision leaflet<\/a>; for the Aomori\u2013Akita and Akita\u2013Sendai legs, check the current price on JR East\u2019s booking site<\/a>. Times come from JR East\u2019s timetable<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is the JR EAST PASS worth it for this trip?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Narrowly, yes. Since 14 March 2026 JR East sells one JR EAST PASS<\/a> for its whole network, replacing the old Tohoku-area pass: \u00a535,000 for 5 consecutive days<\/strong> or \u00a550,000 for 10 (children half), for holders of a non-Japanese passport. It includes reserved seats on the Shinkansen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start it on Day 1 and it covers Tokyo to Aomori, Akita and Sendai. Buy the last leg home separately for \u00a511,110. Compare the total with single tickets on JR East’s fare search; the pass also lets you change trains without rebooking. If you hold a Japanese passport, buy e-tickets instead. Not sure about passes in general? Read is the JR Pass worth it<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aomori Nebuta Festival: what to know<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nebuta are giant lantern floats, lit from inside and pushed through the streets with a band of festival musicians and crowds of dancers. Walkerplus puts typical attendance at around 2.5 million over six days. The schedule, from the \u5b98\u65b9\u7f51\u7ad9<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Date (2027, expected)<\/th>What runs<\/th>Start (2026 time)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Sun 1 Aug<\/td>Eve festival at Aoi Umi Park<\/td>Daytime to 21:00<\/td><\/tr>
Mon 2 \u2013 Tue 3 Aug<\/td>Children\u2019s nebuta + about 15 large floats<\/td>19:00<\/td><\/tr>
Wed 4 \u2013 Fri 6 Aug<\/td>About 20 large floats<\/td>18:45<\/td><\/tr>
Sat 7 Aug<\/td>Day parade; then fireworks and four floats on the sea, Aomori Port<\/td>13:00; 19:15\u2013about 21:00<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How do Aomori Nebuta Festival paid seats work?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 2026 every individual seat cost \u00a54,000<\/strong> including a guidebook, for any night from 2 to 6 August or for the 7 August day parade. The day parade plus fireworks set cost \u00a59,500. Wheelchair seats were \u00a53,200, with up to two companions at \u00a54,000, per the official seat page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n