- Culture
- Aomori
Hachinohe Sansha Festival
Five heated days of festivities enthrall Hachinohe with dynamic floats
The Hachinohe Sansha Festival, or the Three Shrines Festival, is a grand event with around 300 years of tradition that captivates the town of Hachinohe every year from July 31 to August 4. In addition to an ancient portable shrine parade and folk art performances, the highlight of the festival is the 27 lavishly decorated floats called dashi, designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property as well as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Elaborate floats enliven the festival.
The main event of the Hachinohe Sansha Festival is the 27 giant dashi floats. The floats, which could measure as large as 10 meters high and 8 meters wide, are constructed every year under themes such as mythology and Kabuki plays. The creators pour their hearts into the details, like constructing dolls with movements. The highlight is the joint procession of dashi floats and portable shrines of the three shrines: Ogami Shrine, Chojasan Shinra Shrine and Shinmeigu Shrine. Crowds cheer in amazement as each beautiful float passes by. During the night procession, the floats are lit up to display an even more stunning and mystical appearance.
Other great festivals around Aomori
In addition to the Hachinohe Sansha Festival, Aomori is home to numerous well-known summer festivals such as the Aomori Nebuta Festival, Hirosaki Neputa Festival and Goshogawara Tachineputa Festival, each with distinctive dashi floats that lift the crowds in excitement. After seeing the Hachinohe Sansha Festival, which is one of the first to start, why not travel around Aomori to enjoy the other festivals as well? The conclusion of these festivals marks the end of Aomori's short summer and the arrival of fall.
Location
| Name | Hachinohe Sansha Festival |
|---|---|
| Website | https://visithachinohe.com/en/stories/hachinohe-sannshataisai/ |
| Address | Center of Hachinohe-shi, Aomori |
| Access | Approximately 10 minutes' walk from Hon-Hachinohe Station on the JR Hachinohe Line |
| Period of the Event | July 31 to August 4 |
