6 days ago
Aomori Nebuta float festival kicks off in northeastern Japan
The annual Aomori Nebuta Festival has kicked off in northeastern Japan. The iconic summer event features a procession of huge illuminated floats called "nebuta" that depict historic warriors.
The procession began in Aomori City at around 7 p.m. on Saturday. Sixteen floats about five meters tall were paraded along a 3-kilometer route to the sounds of drums and flutes. Dancers called "haneto" leapt and shouted.
Cheering visitors thronged the streets taking videos and photos as the floats approached. They also chanted along with the "haneto" dancers.
A man who came from Ibaraki Prefecture said he had watched the festival on video before, but seeing it firsthand was totally different. He added that he wants to come again next year.
A young woman from Tokyo said she liked the way "haneto" dancers, from small children to adults, jumped rhythmically.
The festival runs through Thursday. Fireworks will light up the final evening, when the floats will be displayed on the ocean.
