Originating over a thousand years ago, the Nebuta Matsuri is a traditional summer festival held in several cities in Aomori Prefecture, most notably in Aomori City. Originally a lantern festival, Nebuta has since developed into a parade involving huge papier-mâché floats that mainly portray kabuki actors, mythological figures, and folk heroes.
Founded in 2011, the Nebuta Museum Wa Rasse exhibits such floats used in the most recent festival, celebrating this unique cultural event and archiving its history. The name was chosen as the winner of a public naming competition; rasse is based on rasse-ra, the typical heave-ho shout cried out by the float-haulers, while wa has several meanings in Japanese including “harmony” and “circle.” Together, the name is also meant to evoke the word warai, or “laughter.”
Located in the Aomori Waterfront area, the museum is only a short walk from the city’s central station. The building that houses the museum is an eye-catching sight, with red vertical louvers covering its exterior and giving its entrance a look like that of a steel curtain parting to welcome visitors.
The museum is a dark, spacious hall filled with colorful lights coming from the Nebuta floats, showcasing traditional artistry and folklore. The papier-mâché figures are astonishingly dynamic, with flowing hair and splashing water magically brought to life.