Hirosaki Neputa Festival

One of the Tohoku Three Great Festivals, held August 3-6 in Akita City. The breathtaking skill of balancing 12-meter, 50-kilogram kanto poles on the forehead, hip, and shoulder is spectacular, with countless lanterns swaying in the night sky like golden ears of rice. Designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, it prays for bountiful harvests.

A summer festival held in August in Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture, with traditions dating to the Edo period. Giant illuminated floats called 'nebuta' parade through town, featuring lavish designs of historical figures, warriors, and kabuki characters. Known for its vibrant aesthetic and energetic Haneto dancing, it is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

A summer festival in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, featuring processions of lantern floats depicting warrior images. Distinguished from the Aomori Nebuta Festival by its unique cultural traditions, characterized by tranquility and ethereal beauty. Continuing since the Edo period, it expresses the pride of the region.

A premier summer festival of the Tohoku region held every August in Aomori City. Enormous illuminated warrior-themed floats called nebuta parade through the streets while dancers known as haneto leap to the chant of 'Rassera.' It is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.

Japan's largest Bon dance festival with over 400 years of history in Tokushima Prefecture. Known for the chant 'It's a fool who dances and a fool who watches—if both are fools, you might as well dance,' it is held annually during the Obon period in August. Groups called 'ren' dance through the streets to distinctive rhythms.

A Japanese summer event based on the legend of Orihime and Hikoboshi, observed on July 7th (or August in some regions). The custom of hanging paper strips inscribed with wishes on bamboo branches is widely practiced. The Sendai Tanabata Festival is one of Japan's largest, attracting over two million visitors annually.