Tohoku · AomoriFestival
Three illuminated paper warriors, each about 23 metres tall and 19 tonnes in weight, are hauled through the streets of Goshogawara for five nights every August — the tallest festival floats in Japan.
Overview
Goshogawara Tachineputa (五所川原立佞武多) is the vertical cousin of Aomori’s better-known Nebuta festivals. Where Aomori City’s floats are broad and low, Goshogawara’s tachineputa — literally “standing neputa” — rise straight up to roughly the height of a seven-storey building, lit from within and washed in colour against the night sky.
The scale is not incidental: the town rebuilt its power lines and widened its parade route so the floats could pass. Together with Aomori Nebuta and Hirosaki Neputa, it is counted as one of Aomori Prefecture’s three great summer float festivals.
When and Where
The festival runs on the same calendar dates every year: 4–8 August. The 2026 edition ran Tuesday 4 August to Saturday 8 August, with the parade each night from 19:00 to 21:00.
The route covers the central streets of Goshogawara. The floats themselves are stored at Tachineputa no Yakata, a museum in the town centre about three minutes’ walk from JR Goshogawara Station.
What to Expect
- Around 15 floats in total — three giant tachineputa plus medium and small neputa built by neighbourhood associations, high schools, hobby clubs and local companies.
- The largest floats stand about 23 metres tall and weigh roughly 19 tonnes.
- One brand-new giant float is built each year in the workshop inside Tachineputa no Yakata, joining the two from the previous two years.
- The crowd chant is “Yattemare! Yattemare!”, carried along by taiko drums and flutes; Chuko-daiko drummers lead the procession.
- Outside the festival week the three giant floats stay on display at Tachineputa no Yakata, viewed from a spiral ramp that descends from the fourth floor.
Admission and Tickets
Watching from the roadside is free. Paid grandstand seating is sold separately at two stands, at Omachi and Yanagimachi; for 2026, tickets went on sale by fax and email from 25 April and online through e+ from 29 April. Prices are published by the city each spring.
Tips for Visitors
Arrive well before 19:00 if you want a roadside spot with clear sky above — the appeal is the height, so avoid positions under trees or shop awnings. The floats look best from a little distance, not directly beneath. If you are combining this with Aomori Nebuta (2–7 August), Goshogawara is about an hour away by train, so both fit into one trip.
Access and Map
| Dates | 4–8 August annually (2026: 4–8 August) |
|---|---|
| Time | 19:00–21:00 nightly |
| Venue | Central Goshogawara city streets; floats housed at Tachineputa no Yakata |
| Nearest station | JR Goshogawara Station (Gono Line), 3 min walk |
| Admission | Free roadside; paid grandstand seats available |
| Official site | tachineputa-official.jp |
Source: Goshogawara Tachineputa Official Site
Image: Photo: Occidentale / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) — licence
