Generally, dynamic and powerful expressions are favored for floats at Nebuta festivals. Therefore, the selection of the subject plays a critical role in constructing these attractive floats. In this article, I will introduce three popular and typically used themes for the Nebuta floats.
Buddhism
Buddhism is one of the most popular subjects of Nebuta floats. Most foreigners would imagine the Budda as being very calm and peaceful in appearance. However, there are a lot of bold guardians in Buddhism, and sometimes even Budda himself transforms into a very valiant and courageous character.
Warriors from the Sengoku Era
The Sengoku era was the period from the end of the 15th to the beginning of the 16th century in Japan. In those days, Japan was divided into distinct and different regions. There were many kinds of famous warriors and anecdotes of them.
Mythology
Japan has a long history as a country, spanning over 1,400 years with a well-documented past. Therefore, we have an abundance of mythologies. Most characters from Japanese mythology have been worshipped as gods in Shintoism, the original Japanese religion. In my opinion, it is very interesting that two religions, Buddism and Shintoism, coexist in one festival without any contradiction.
Have you enjoyed my explanations about the three typically used subjects for the Nebuta floats? Of course, you can simply enjoy the enormous and colorful Nebuta floats without any knowledge. However, I believe that having a basic grasp of their background can help you better understand the festival. It’s similar to how one appreciates a masterpiece, such as a painting. I hope you will discover your own masterpiece while enjoying the Nebuta festival experience!
