NEBUTA FESTIVAL

Nebuta Festival 2006 ~ Aomori Prefecture
The Nebuta Festival is a beautiful festival of these huge 'floats' that are lit up with lights. The Japanese characters have scary faces---which drive away evil spirits. There are over 30 floats in this year's week long parade. Each float tells a different folk story, weighs over 3 tons and is pushed on wheels by some 50 people! It is a spectacular sight...I'm lucky to have seen it!
Big thanks to Taira for being a trooper and driving all the way there and back in ONE day! Thanks to you, I could enjoy this special festival! It was unforgettable! Thanks!
We also caught the fireworks extravaganza at Asamushi ....these were the not only the best fireworks that I have seen IN Japan...but IN MY LIFE! it was incredible. and they were blasted over this beautiful scenic oceanside park....where we sat maybe a half a block away from where they were fired off. it was really beautiful and i have so many more pictures to share with you...but limited it to just these two. i swear i have seen more fireworks in japan this year than i have in the last 10 years in Minnesota! didnt know the Japanese were such pyromaniacs!

fantastic.