The Nebuta Museum WA RASSE is a museum in Aomori City dedicated to the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri, a traditional summer festival with over 300 years of history. The museum displays full-sized Nebuta floats—massive illuminated papier-mâché structures depicting kabuki actors, mythological figures, and folk heroes. It opened in 2011 to allow visitors to experience the festival's artistry and cultural significance throughout the year, not just during the festival period in early August.
Yes, the museum displays 4 full-sized floats that participated in the most recent Aomori Nebuta Festival held each August. The floats rotate annually, so the displays change to feature different prize-winning creations from each year's competition. The museum also screens footage of these specific floats in the actual parade, giving visitors a sense of how they appear during the festival with their lighting and movement through the streets.
The museum offers a Haneto dance experience where visitors can try the traditional festival dancing performed to Hayashi music. These interactive sessions are held three times daily at 11:10 am, 1:10 pm, and 3:10 pm. The museum also provides detailed exhibitions showing how the floats are constructed, allowing visitors to understand the artistic techniques and craftsmanship involved in creating these elaborate structures.
Admission to the Nebuta Museum WA RASSE costs 620 yen for adults, 460 yen for high school students, and 260 yen for elementary and junior high school students. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more visitors. These prices allow access to all exhibition areas, the float displays, and participation in the scheduled Haneto dance experiences.
The museum is extremely accessible, located just a 1-minute walk from Aomori Station. This makes it one of the most convenient attractions for travelers arriving by train. If you're coming from Aomori Airport, the journey takes approximately 40 minutes by bus to reach the station area. The museum's waterfront location along the bay makes it easy to spot with its distinctive red metal exterior.
Traveler reviews
This is an amazing place! The real Nebuta lanterns are so beautiful and intricately detailed that you can't stop admiring them. The building has a modern design and is conveniently located near the train station. Inside, the museum offers exhibits that give you a deeper understanding of the local culture. If you're visiting Aomori, you absolutely must not miss this place!
This is a worthwhile place to visit while you're in Aomori. It gives you a good feel of what the Nebuta festival will be like. It gives you the time to have a close up look at the floats and see how they're made. I've attached a photo showing the times of the performance. The performance was brief, but was followed by giving the audience the opportunity to take part and play the instruments which was fun.
It's a very brief exhibit but the price is reasonable and you can take your time looking at everything. Try to time your visit with a performance to get the full experience.
Loved this place. It is only a few minutes from Aomori Station and it feels like Aomori’s culture hub. I came for the Nebuta Festival and stopped here to learn the story behind it. Inside the hall the floats glow like giant lanterns. Up close you can see the paper, paint, and wire details. There is a short film that explains the history and how the artists build each float. Sometimes there is a drum and haneto dance demo, so check the schedule at the entrance.
I spent about an hour taking photos and reading the signs. Staff were kind. The English info is clear. I left inspired and even more excited for the festival.
The Aomori Nebuta Matsuri is a famous summer festival held in early August every year. Enormous illuminated paper floats that depict legendary warriors and mythical scenes are paraded through the city at night. They move to the beat of taiko drums and flutes while thousands of haneto dancers jump and shout “Rassera.” On the final night there are fireworks and a waterfront celebration. WA RASSE displays award-winning floats from recent years and explains how they are made.
A well designed museum, especially from the outside. The staffs provided a unique experience of the Nebuta festival. Wishing there were more models of the floats; the museum was smaller than we expected. I would recommend a short visit here if you’re in Aomori, it is near A-Factory and the Bay Area and not too far of a walk from the popular fish market. Perfect for a slow half day.
We went in the afternoon and there was no wait. The ticket vending machines are very convenient. The museum offers a great look into the festival's history and displays the top five floats from each year. The workmanship is stunning,the colors are incredibly vibrant and the attention to detail is world-class.
