Nebuta Museum WA RASSE

The Nebuta Museum WA RASSE opened in 2011 as a city-owned facility dedicated to preserving and showcasing the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri, one of northern Japan's most celebrated summer festivals. The Aomori Nebuta Festival has a history of more than 300 years and has been designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan. The festival itself originated over a thousand years ago as a traditional lantern festival, held annually from August 2nd to 7th in Aomori City.

The museum is housed in a distinctive building covered in red metal slats and stands along Aomori's waterfront. Inside, visitors can view 4 full-sized floats that participated in the most recent August festival, with the displays rotating to feature different floats from each year's celebration. These massive papier-mâché floats mainly portray kabuki actors, mythological figures, and folk heroes. The exhibition space includes detailed displays showing the construction techniques and artistic processes behind creating these elaborate structures.

The museum offers several interactive experiences throughout the day. Visitors can participate in a "Haneto" dance experience, trying the traditional festival dancing to Hayashi music at 11:10 am, 1:10 pm, and 3:10 pm. The facility also screens footage of the featured floats participating in the actual parade, allowing visitors to experience the festival atmosphere year-round. Exhibition materials explain the festival's cultural significance and the individual creativity of the float designers.

The museum is located just a 1-minute walk from Aomori Station, making it extremely accessible for travelers. From Aomori Airport, the journey takes approximately 40 minutes by bus. Admission 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.