It’s a tough question to answer, “Where is the best spot to watch the Nebuta parade?” I think there are two reasons for this.
Firstly, the Nebuta parade route is approximately 3km long, and there are many spots that I have yet to experience.
Secondly, everyone has a personal preference; you may think to yourself, “I want to enjoy drinking beer and tasting food while sitting down,” or “I am eager to watch the parade up close even if it’s crowded,” etc.
However, as a local resident, I can describe the characteristics of several spots for tourists from distant lands. I hope you find this information helpful so that you can enjoy the Nebuta festival even more!
・Wide Street vs. Narrow Street
Let’s start with a summary of the Nebuta parade route. The map of the route looks like an elongated rectangle, the long sides of which are National Route 4 and Shinmachi Street.
National Route 4 is a very wide street with three lanes on each side. On the other hand, Shinmachi Street is narrow, with a single lane on each side. You might be wondering, which street provides the best option to watch the Nebuta parade? Based on my experience, both of them have pros and cons.
The pros of National Route 4 are the high activity of the Nebuta floats. The floats are enormous, so they require spacious areas for their activities, such as spinning, etc.
The cons of this option are that if the floats approach the other side, you can’t see them up close.
The pros of Shinmachi Street are that you can watch the floats up close because the width of the street is almost the same as the floats.
The cons of this option are the low activity of the floats. Shinmachi Street is too narrow for the floats to move actively and spin.
It’s up to you which street to choose for watching the Nebuta parade.
・Four Corners of the Parade
Corners on the parade route are kind of a highlight. That’s because the Nebuta floats become more active in areas that are more spacious and where there are a large number of spectators.
The shape of the parade route is an elongated rectangle, so it, of course, has four corners.
The two corners on the west side are very crowded each year. I think there are two reasons for this.
Firstly, they are close to Aomori Station, which makes them very convenient for many people.
Secondly, the corners are near the starting point of the parade, which means that people don’t have to wait for long to watch the floats pass by.
Due to the overcrowdedness, the Nebuta festival officials don’t recommend watching the parade here. I agree with this opinion.
As for the other corners on the east side, the overcrowdedness is less severe. Although you have to walk a longer distance and wait a more time compared to the west corners, the east side corners are much more comfortable and safe.
By the way, the east corners are approximately 1.8 km from Aomori Station. Furthermore, it takes almost 45 minutes for the head of the parade to reach the east corners after the starting time. I hope you will use this information as a reference.
・In Front of City Hall
Viewing the parade in front of City Hall is also a highlight because it’s where the judges of the Nebuta floats’ competition are seated. All Nebuta group members strive to perform their best in front of these judges.
If you want to watch the parade around City Hall without purchasing seating, please remember that sitting on the ground in this area is not allowed.
Let me provide more details: City Hall is situated along National Route 4. On this street, there are official paid seats on the roadway, and you cannot enter this area without a ticket.
Meanwhile, the sidewalk is divided into two sections: the standing space and the pedestrian walkway. Anyone can freely watch the parade from the standing space once the traffic has been stopped in place, but sitting down here is prohibited.
Standing for the duration of the parade may require physical stamina. I do not recommend this spot unless you are in good health or eager to witness the best performances from each Nebuta group. Especially it’s not a suitable viewing position for young children or the elderly.
・The Starting Point
The parade’s starting point is also a place with several notable features. There are three reasons why I think so.
Firstly, the starting point is very close to the gathering point for 跳人(Haneto) dancers. If someone in your group joins the parade as a Haneto, the starting point is very convenient because you can easily see them off.
Secondly, from there, you can hear the unique musical accompaniment for setting off, which is played only at the starting point. This musical accompaniment is special for the local people because it stimulates their emotions with enthusiasm, expectation, and excitement.
Thirdly, it is easy to move from the starting point to National Route 4, the wide parade route. Let me explain in more detail.
The starting point is located on Shinmachi Street. From here, Yanagimachi Street leads us to National Route. This fact means you can enjoy the parade from the starting point, then move through Yanagimachi Street and continue enjoying the parade along National Route 4.
Have you enjoyed the explanations for each spot to watch the Nebuta parade? All of them have unique features and would provide different experiences.
There are a lot of places where you can enjoy the Nebuta festival in addition to the spots I introduced in this article. I wholeheartedly hope that you can enjoy the special moments during the parade with your friends or family!
