murmurHirosaki Neputa Festival
Hirosaki City · Central Hirosaki (Dotemachi and station-front routes)
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Hirosaki Tourism and Convention Bureau · Last checked: Oct 10, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Aug 1–7, 2026 （Ended） Aug 1–4 Dotemachi route from 19:00; Aug 5 and 6 station-front route from 19:00; Aug 7 Dotemachi morning route from 10:00
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually early August
- How the date is set
- Every year, August 1 – August 7
- Venue
- Central Hirosaki (Dotemachi and station-front routes)
- City
- Hirosaki City, Aomori
About
Held every year from August 1 to 7 in the old castle town of Hirosaki, this festival is a designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. Around 80 floats, large and small, parade through the streets to cries of "Yaa-ya-doh!". Their fronts are painted with fierce warrior scenes and their backs with alluring beauties; some are fan-shaped, while others are sculpted figures. Smaller floats lead the way, with the giants, some over nine meters tall, coming later as teams of pullers steer them past power lines and signs. Each float is followed by flute and drum players. The parade follows the Dotemachi route on August 1–4 and the station-front route on August 5 and 6, with a morning run on August 7.
Sources
- OfficialHirosaki Tourism and Convention Bureau www.hirosaki-kanko.or.jp
- OfficialAomori Prefecture Tourism and International Exchange Organization (Amazing AOMORI) aomori-tourism.com
Last checked: Oct 10, 2026. Event information is based on official announcements, but changes may not always be reflected here. Please check each official website for accurate details.
Other events this month
On the day, see what locals are murmuring on the murmur map
murmur is an app that shows short, anonymous posts on a map, right where they were written. On festival day, open the map around the venue and see what people nearby are saying.