[Aomori Prefecture] Enjoy winter in Aomori! 3 recommended winter festivals!

Aomori Prefecture is surrounded by the ocean on three sides, and although the amount of snowfall and climate vary from region to region, each region holds its own festivals to enjoy the long winter.

In this article, we will introduce three winter festivals that are not only enjoyed by local residents but also visited by many tourists, and which are also called Aomori's three major winter festivals

Towada Lake Winter Story 2025 (Towada City)

This is a winter festival held every year in the Yasumiya district, which is adjacent to Akita Prefecture and has many lodging facilities and souvenir shops along the shores of Lake Towada, along with sightseeing steamship terminals

You can enjoy Lake Towada in the harsh winter with activities such as fireworks that decorate the night sky, illuminated snow statues, and snow slides, as well as food stalls where you can enjoy B-class gourmet food and local cuisine.

In addition, performances of local performing arts such as local lion dances and Nebuta music are performed on a special stage made of snow, and at the `` Snow Park '' you can enjoy activities such as a large snow slide and a banana boat pulled by a snowmobile.

the Towada Lakeside Yasuya Multipurpose Plaza from January 31st (Friday) to February 24th (Monday, holiday) , and we recommend staying at a nearby accommodation to enjoy it.

"Winter fireworks" shining on the lake

During the festival period, large fireworks will be set off for about 10 minutes from 8:00 pm every day except Tuesdays and Wednesdays, synchronized with the music playing in the venue (excludes on the February 11th holiday).

Message fireworks are also available, so why not apply in advance and send a message to your loved ones?

“Yukitori Yokocho” where local gourmet food gathers

A food stall village where you can enjoy warm local cuisine and B-class gourmet food will appear in a corner of Yasumiya Multipurpose Square, and will be open from 4pm on weekdays and from 11am to 8pm on weekends and holidays.

Towada's specialty " barayaki " and Misawa's specialty " paika nabe ", as well as pork soup, ramen, gyoza, pork skewers, pizza, etc., and a huge kamakura built inside the venue became the " kamakura bar ". , you can enjoy cocktails in glasses made of ice.

Tohoku Rokken trivia media: NEFT

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Lake Towada Winter Story 2025＜Information＞

• Name: Towada Lake Winter Story 2025
• Event period: January 31, 2025 (Friday) to February 24, 2025 (Monday, holiday)
• Venue: Towada Lakeside Yasuya Multipurpose Square
• Contact: Towada Lake Winter Story Executive Committee Secretariat (inside Towada Lake Tourism Exchange Center “Plat”)
• Phone number: 0176-75-1531
• URL: Towada Oirase Tourism Organization official website

GOOGLE MAP　

Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival (Hirosaki City)

Hirosaki Park is famous for its cherry blossoms in the spring and the autumn leaves in the fall.In the winter, the castle tower and the trees are covered in snow, turning the park into a completely white world.

During the Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival held at Hirosaki Park in winter snow lanterns and mini kamakura made by local residents are lined up, as well as a corridor with ``Neputa'' paintings, which are lit up at night. It has a fantastic atmosphere.

A large snow slide and large snow sculptures have been built at the main venue, the Shinomaru ruins, and are illuminated along with the castle tower and old pine trees, creating a gorgeous beauty.

Various events are held during the day, and there are many food and drink stalls open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

In 2025, the event is scheduled to take place from February 7th (Friday) to February 11th (Tuesday/holiday), and approximately 150 snow lanterns will be erected throughout the park and approximately 300 mini kamakura will be built in the western part of the park. You can

Heavy snow sculpture and vivid projection mapping

In recent years, citizen groups have been carrying out projection mapping on historic buildings and other large snow sculptures, and plans are to do so again this year.

Last year, the projection mapping that was projected on a large snow sculpture modeled after the Hakodate Orthodox Church

Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival＜Information＞

• Name: Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival
• Event period: February 7th (Friday) to 11th (Tuesday/holiday), 2025, 10:00-21:00 every day (until 20:00 on the last day)
• Venue: Hirosaki Park “Hirosaki Castle Ruins”
• Contact: Hirosaki Tourism and Convention Association (inside Hirosaki City Tourist Hall)
• Phone number: 0172-35-3131
• URL: Hirosaki Tourism and Convention Association Official Website
• URL: Hirosaki Park official website

GOOGLE MAP

Hachinohe Enburi (Hachinohe City, Hashikami Town, Nanbu Town, Oirase Town, Gonohe Town)

This is a folk event held in the Hachinohe area as spring approaches to pray for a bountiful harvest for the year.

As a local performing art that has been passed down in the Hachinohe region for over 800 years, it has been designated as a national important intangible folk cultural property.

Each region has a ``gumi'' of about 20 to 30 people, including masters, dancers, musicians, and singers, and although the Enburi scenario is common, each group performs unique dances.

The dancer, who wears an eboshi in the shape of a horse's head, is called a ``tayu'' and performs a ``suri ' ' movement, which represents tasks such as rice planting, while shaking his head.

It is held from February 17th to 20th every year, but the Enburi-gumi from the Hachinohe area of ​​Hashikami Town, Nanbu Town, Oirase Town, and Gonohe Town will perform their dances in their hometowns.

“Nagaenburi” and “Dosai Enburi”

Enburi consists of hajime '', `` Naka-no- , and `` Suri-nae Blessing performance ''. dance.

The dancers are the main character, Tokuro , who holds a naruko, and several tayu who hold hoe handles.

the relaxed `` Nagaenburi '', the dance between Tokuro and the other tayu is different.

Dosai Enburi '' dance at a fast tempo while holding a metal stick (jangi)

“All-at-once printing” in which the center of Hachinohe is dyed in Enburi color

From 7 a.m. on the first day (the 17th), a ` dedication of printing by the Enburi group will be held Chojasan Shinra Shrine

Afterwards, they move to the Choja Festival Square and parade in an Enburi procession to the center of Hachinohe City, where they dance in unison from 10:40 to 11:20.

The biggest highlight of Hachinohe Enburi is the ``Ichizaizuri,'' in which more than 30 Enburi groups gather in the city center and dance in unison.

Garden Enburi

Kojokaku , the ruins of a wealthy family's mansion , and is a reproduction of the enburi that was performed in the mansions of large landowners and merchant families in the past.

Reservations and admission fees are required to view the festival, but the enburi dance in the garden at night has a magical atmosphere, and you can enjoy the dance while enjoying Hachinohe senbei soup or sweet sake.

“Blessing performance” by children

This is a lovely dance performed by children wearing heavy makeup in between the adults' printing.

• Enko Enko : Holds a ``Zen-daiko,'' a ring with money, and dances to the song ``Money Naru Tree'' while spinning it.
• Matsu no dance : It is said that this dance originated from a dance held while holding a pine branch during a break from farm work, and the dance is performed using a fan instead of a branch.
• Ebisu dance : A dance depicting Lord Ebisu fishing for sea bream, holding a fishing rod and fan and offering the sea bream to his husband at the end.
• Daikokumai : Holding a gavel in the right hand and a fan in the left hand, dances to auspicious speeches and songs.

Other enburi events

In addition to the four days of Enburi introduced above, there will also be gates to bring in blessings throughout the city, and Enburi will be displayed at various times throughout Hachinohe as listed below.

• Gozen Enburi : Danced in front of the feudal lords in southern Hachinohe, and now performed in front of the mayor of Hachinohe and other related parties.
• Historic site Nejo Enburi : Enburi in front of the main hall of the main hall of Nejo, one of Japan's 100 most famous castles (admission fee to the square is required)
• Enburi performance : For a fee, you can watch the dance on the stage of Hachinohe City Public Hall.
• Enburi Public Exhibition : Held during the day on a special stage in front of Hachinohe City Hall Square, and can be viewed for free.
• Bonfire Enburi : Every night for four days, a dance is performed at the citizen square in front of the main building of Hachinohe City Hall, where a bonfire is lit.

Hachinohe Enburi <Information>

• Name: Hachinohe Enburi
• Event period: February 17th to 20th every year (Monday to Thursday in 2025)
• Venue: Hachinohe city center, etc. (Chojasan Shilla Shrine, Hachinohe City Hall Main Building Civic Square, Hachinohe City Public Hall, Sōjōkaku, historical site Nejo Square, etc.)
• Contact: VISIT Hachinohe
• Phone number: 0178-70-1110
• URL: VISIT Hachinohe official website (as of November 15th, schedule for 2025 is not listed)

summary

In addition to the winter festivals introduced in Aomori Prefecture, various other winter events are being planned in various locations to help people enjoy the long winter as much as possible.

Of the three winter festivals introduced in this article, "Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival" and "Hachinohe Enburi" are among the "Michinoku Five Great Snow Festivals," and many tourists visit during these festivals. Masu.