Goshogawara Tachineputa Festival

What Is the Goshogawara Tachineputa Festival?

The Goshogawara Tachineputa Festival is a summer festival held each August in Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture, known for the gigantic tachineputa (standing neputa) floats that parade through the streets. Float-lanterns of overwhelming size—over 20 meters tall and weighing about 19 tons—process through the city center with such presence that one must look up at them between the buildings. Together with the Nebuta of Aomori and the Neputa of Hirosaki, it is a festival representative of summer in the Tsugaru region, and its sheer scale is without parallel.

History and Origins

The Tachineputa of Goshogawara is said to have begun in the Meiji and Taishō eras, when wealthy merchants and large landowners vied in their riches to build gigantic neputa. For a time the large floats disappeared owing to the spread of power lines and other factors, but after blueprints and photographs from that period were discovered in the Heisei era, the enthusiasm of local people brought back the tachineputa standing over 20 meters tall. Today, based at the dedicated storage and exhibition facility "Tachineputa no Yakata," new works are created each year and handed down as a source of Tsugaru pride.

Highlights

The greatest attraction is the overwhelming presence of the gigantic tachineputa standing over 20 meters tall. The sight of the brilliantly colored float-lanterns shaped as warriors and deities, glowing radiantly in the night and advancing through the city center to the call of "yattemare, yattemare," can only be described as breathtaking. The experience of a lantern towering overhead passing by can be had only at this festival. The sounds of the festival music, the fervor of the dancers, and the spectacle woven by the giant lanterns ardently color the summer nights of Tsugaru.

When It Takes Place

The festival is typically held from 4 to 8 August in the central district of Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture. As a summer festival, its season is summer. The tachineputa procession takes place at night. Visitors are advised to confirm the latest dates, routes, and information on viewing seats in advance through official announcements from Goshogawara City and the organizers of the Tachineputa festival.

Access

The central district of Goshogawara is within walking distance of Goshogawara Station on the JR Gonō Line and the Tsugaru Railway. It can be accessed by JR from the directions of Aomori and Hirosaki. "Tachineputa no Yakata," which permanently displays the tachineputa, is within walking distance of the station, allowing visitors to view the giant floats even outside the festival period. By car, nearby parking is available, but crowds are expected during the festival.

Around the Area

Goshogawara, located at the center of the Tsugaru Plain, is home to Kanagi, the hometown of the author Osamu Dazai. The "Shayōkan," Dazai's birthplace, and the nostalgic stove train of the Tsugaru Railway (in winter) are popular tourist draws. Visitors can enjoy the nature, culture, and food distinctive to the Tsugaru region, including the rural scenery of the Tsugaru Plain with views of Mount Iwaki, the freshwater clams of Lake Jūsan, and Tsugaru's traditional crafts. Together with the summer festival, it is an area where one can savor a place associated with a great writer and the character of Tsugaru.

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