What other travelers are saying about Nebuta Museum WA RASSE
A must visit if you’re in Aomori. They showcase the history with film showings. You can also participate in playing the drums and other musical instruments when there’s a singer.
The paper lanterns are stunning to look at. There’s a gift store selling food products and souvenirs.
Nebuta Festival is the largest summer festival in Aomori, which large lantern floats made of paper, parading the lively streets at night. It's perhaps as popular in Japan as the Rose parade in Pasadena. The adult entrance fee is 620¥, and available for purchase on the 2nd floor. The friendly staff will help guide you navigate the ticket machine. They also offer free Taiko drum shows a few times a day. The exit will take you to the souvenir shop. It is a wonderful experience to learn and have a glimpse of the local culture. All in all, we spent about an hour in there. And if you're visiting during apple season in October, there're several apple trees outside full with mini apples.
Such an awesome museum. It doesn’t take much time to get through but there’s lots to see. All the sculptures were amazing and having one on display to touch was a cool experience. The gift shop had some unique products too.
A great way to see the festival floats if you can’t see the real event. They have an explanatory exhibit room followed by the big open gallery with 4 real floats, as well as small ones you can touch. There is also an interactive demo with dancing and you get to try the instruments. The exhibit does not have English translation but there are supplementary QR codes and pamphlets available. The gift shop is good as well. Plan to spend about half an hour here. Parking is free in the nearby lot up to one hour.
Absolutely amazing to view. I may have to visit again to see the parade in person. Seeing the master artists being honored for their amazing work is wonderful. The photos don't really show the scale and brilliance - a MUST see if you are in the area!
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.
