The Aomori Nebuta Matsuri (青森ねぶた祭り)

The Aomori Nebuta Matsuri (青森ねぶた祭り) is a Japanese summer festival that takes place in Aomori, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The festival attracts the most tourists of any of the country's nebuta festivals, and is counted among the three largest festivals in the Tōhoku region. It was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1980.

"Nebuta" refers to the float of a brave warrior-figure which is carried through the center of the city, while dancers wearing a unique type of costume called haneto (ハネト) dance around in time with the chant Rasserā (ラッセラー).

The festival is held every year from August 2 to August 7, where the float is carried through the city during the evening from August 2–6, and during the daytime on August 7. A fireworks show is held on the evening of the final day while the float is carried into the sea.

Photos:

"Aomori Nebuta AUG 2006 0002" by Fisherman - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aomori_Nebuta_AUG_2006_0002.jpg#/media/File:Aomori_Nebuta_AUG_2006_0002.jpg

"Aomori Nebuta AUG 2006 0003" by Fisherman - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aomori_Nebuta_AUG_2006_0003.jpg#/media/File:Aomori_Nebuta_AUG_2006_0003.jpg