Aomori Nebuta Festival
The Nebuta Festival is the most exciting event of the year for the people of Aomori Prefecture. Giant parade floats, or nebuta, are skillfully maneuvered through the city streets. After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the festival was held once again. We received special permission to film the local community as it eagerly prepared for the festival. What amazing behind-the-scenes material did our 100 cameras capture this time? We uncover the touching and poignant stories of the local people.
Transcript
"100 cameras
installed in one place"
"This time..."
Watch out!
Turn, turn, turn!
Here we go!
Yeah!
Push, push, push!
"Returning after a 2-year hiatus."
It's nebuta season.
Can't wait.
"A powerhouse group that
can't wait for the festival?!"
"Watch these giant nebuta being made."
Okay.
Let's do it.
Now!
Hold on, hold on.
- Is the wood breaking?
- Yeah.
Just one person give the orders!
It's pretty windy.
Be careful.
I can't reach.
There's no time.
"Behind the scenes of a wild parade."
Full throttle from the start.
Ow!
"Aomori is the northern tip of
Japan's main island."
"After the long winter, everyone looks
forward to the summer Nebuta Festival."
"June
2 months until the Nebuta Festival."
"Sheds where nebuta are built."
It's hot.
Really hot.
"Former teacher, changed careers at 27
and now makes nebuta full-time."
"Since winter he's been making
a nebuta for JCI Aomori."
"We'll capture the nebuta
from every angle."
"OBSERVATION BEGINS"
"Nebuta are floats made from
wood, wire & paper."
"Over 1,000 LEDs are installed."
Can you turn the Fujin lights on?
Huh?
The lights for Fujin.
- Fujin?
- Yep.
Hold on a sec.
- Are they on?
- Yes.
"Local streets are narrow,
so dimensions are regulated."
I'm going up.
Here I go.
"Nebuta are created mainly
by teams of five people."
It's so hot.
He's taken off his shirt.
"30°C or more indoors
(No air conditioning)."
You look like a pool boy.
What?
Or a lifeguard.
"Tatsuta's former student,
began apprenticing in high school."
You look like a lifeguard
in swim trunks.
"Boss getting teased"
What was I doing?
I'm so hot.
- Don't pass out on me.
- I won't.
So hot.
Hello.
Yuya, could you blow some wax
on the paper I pasted?
"Volunteer staff help out
after work and on weekends."
Looks perfect.
I like that a lot.
- Yuya.
- Yes?
Ourin's here.
- Seriously?!
- No way.
Ourin and Jonagold.
Let's wave.
We should wave?
Oho!
They're so cute.
- Hello.
- Hello.
Are you hard at work?
- Yes.
- Yes.
- I'm a volunteer.
- I'm the apprentice.
You're helping out today?
Yeah.
Keep it up.
Wow, in harmony.
Thanks a lot.
Thank you.
We actually saw Jonagold!
Wow.
She's gorgeous.
"5 hours later"
Jonagold was so pretty.
That's nice.
I'm mad I didn't talk to her more.
I missed my chance.
"Coloring the nebuta
The final stage of production."
I'll start the kumadori on Fujin.
"Kumadori
Creating facial expressions."
"He works without blueprints,
with an image in his mind's eye."
"Time since starting:
4.5 hours"
"KUMADORI COMPLETE"
"Before"
"After:
heightened expressiveness"
Sensei, Taro is here.
Come on in, Taro.
This year's is amazing.
Hm?
This year's is amazing.
This is already my tenth year.
The shape of the nose is different.
- They're ogres.
- Ah, okay.
I can't make good noses,
so I've been studying them.
Really?
It's the trickiest part.
Noses are tough.
"Taro at home."
"Making nebuta is his hobby."
"He watches old Nebuta Festival."
So cool.
Incredible.
Here it comes.
That's as good as it gets.
- You're being so loud.
- Yeah, be quiet.
How was the mock exam?
Uh-oh.
Hold on.
I'm skipping to JR's float.
Where's the JR bit?
"July
1 month until festival."
"Some teams have finished their nebuta."
"This year 17 teams (businesses,
schools, etc.) are taking part."
"The best float gets the Grand Prize.
The top five teams win awards."
It's nearly time.
- Finally.
- At long last.
It's like time stopped
for the last few years.
"Impatient for the festival's return."
"Is this a nebuta gym?"
"Each nebuta is also judged
on its musical accompaniment."
"They train 3 days a week."
This training will make you tough.
"Music Team
Group Practice"
"30 people have come in their free time."
Break time.
Till half past.
- How are you?
- Hi.
How's business?
May was good,
but then June was bad again.
It's make or break now.
My savings are gone.
Me too.
I'm flat broke.
We're in dire straits,
but let's do our best.
- Are you feeling okay?
- Yeah.
- But I did feel bad this morning.
- Today?
My temperature was 36.9.
But I ate some pickles and felt better!
Look at this.
Wow.
- This is going to win a prize.
- Yeah, it's impressive.
- It's not so easy.
- Don't say that.
"Everyone is talking about
which teams will win."
It's my tenth year doing this.
Exactly 10 years.
A decade? Really?
Yep.
Wow.
I want to win, but...
"Tatsuta has never won an award."
Every year I worry if I'll even
get asked to make a nebuta.
"Nebuta production is commissioned
on an annual basis."
"Without a commission,
you don't make any money."
"That night"
Hello.
Hi there.
This is looking so cool.
That's a huge drum.
Great colors!
Fantastic.
He's even got a flute.
Nice touch.
Let me turn on the lights.
I love it.
Excellent.
Shed lights off, please.
- Oh, the eyes are done.
- Yeah, look at them.
This is so great.
How'd you come up with it?
The drum idea took time.
"It's the first festival in three years —
the design reflects a wish to celebrate."
It fits perfectly.
Very cool.
- We've got to pull our weight.
- Yep.
No slacking.
We've gotta bring our A-game.
- Now we need beer.
- Yeah. Agreed.
One life to live,
why can't we have beer now?
You said it.
"August
Festival Time"
Let's move.
Alright!
"ROLLING OUT"
"Wants the Nebuta Grand Prize."
"Nebuta Festival August 2-7"
"6:30 PM"
Turn on the generator.
"The lights are powered by
internal generators."
"START"
Let's do this.
Let's go!
"The nebuta will
travel 3.1 km."
"Float Bearers
Group of 18 men that physically move the nebuta."
"Fan Bearer
Directs the nebuta's movement."
"They must avoid road signs
and traffic signals as they move."
Right.
Forward.
Left.
Forward.
Down.
Up.
Slow.
"Competition Objectives
・Movement that shows off the nebuta.
・Harmony between fan & float bearers."
"The fan bearers and float bearers
fascinate with the life-like nebuta."
"Has the float stopped moving?!"
What's wrong?
We're stuck on something.
Is it bad?
"The nebuta hit a traffic sensor."
"THE NEXT MORNING.
FINAL DAY OF THE FESTIVAL."
Good morning.
- Good morning. I'm sorry, sensei.
- It's fine.
- Is the front side okay?
- It's fine.
- All fine.
- Still, I'm so sorry.
- No problem.
- I have to apologize.
It's just the edge.
I'll look inside.
"Repairs must be completed
before tonight's parade."
"A bucket truck saves the day."
Yikes.
"The clouds were damaged."
Okay...
Maybe...
make the clouds smaller?
Okay.
"He'll cut out the damaged part
and make the clouds smaller."
Aw...
"Looks on glumly as repairs are made."
Would you take our picture?
No problem.
Are you ready?
Smile.
Here I go. You look great.
- Okay.
- Thank you.
Ugh.
I could have stopped that crash.
So careless.
Oh man.
"Time until the festival
1 hour."
"Tourists are getting outfits
so they can dance in the festival."
- You came from Aichi?
- Yes.
- I'm from Fukuoka.
- Wow!
Thank you for coming
all the way from Okinawa.
- We have a boy and a girl.
- So four people.
Four at 3,000 is 12,000 yen.
And two hats is 2,000 yen,
so 14,000 yen.
6,000 yen, plus 800 yen.
Can I pay with an app?
Paying with your phone?
Can you bring the QR code?
Here we are.
Please move over here.
This calculator is great.
It even sounds great.
And so easy to use.
Get in position.
Time to go.
"He made it in time!"
- Can I take a leak?
- Again?!
"Already gone 5 times"
- Are you going?
- Let's go.
"Last day of judging
The Grand Prize will be awarded."
Today is judgment day,
so full throttle from the start.
- Come on, guys.
- We're ready!
"The powerhouse drummers get started."
Let's do it.
Thank you!
I'm next.
"Watching the nebuta."
Mittsu, you can go slower.
Nice.
You've got this.
"The nebuta reaches the place
it got snagged yesterday."
"ALL CLEAR!"
Okay.
We're moving well.
Perfect.
"The final day of judging is complete!"
"9:00 PM"
- We made it back.
- Thank you, guys.
This feels good.
Thank you.
Nice work, Mittsu.
"THE FINAL RESULTS."
"The top five teams win awards
The best float gets the Grand Prize."
Yay!
Huh?
- Someone got a prize?
- You think?
Maybe not?
Sensei?
They're here.
The winners are in.
Ryoyukai, JR, Citizens,
Fire Brigade, Hitachi.
"Didn't win any prizes."
That hurts.
Unbelievable.
Can't believe it.
We all agreed Tatsuta's float
was incredible.
Everyone said so.
This sucks.
I thought we'd win for sure.
It hurts.
- Great work.
- Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Oh boy.
I just got contacted.
Don't know what to say.
It was a great nebuta.
That's why it's so disappointing.
You did a good job, sensei.
We'll do better next year.
It just hurts.
We'll be fine. I'm okay.
Thank you.
I know it's painful.
Great work.
Thank you.
I'll be back.
We'll try again.
The festival isn't going anywhere.