Dancing with the Giants of Aomori

August 2

My legs are already tingling with excitement, and the festival hasn't even officially started for me yet! For weeks, our city of Aomori has been buzzing with energy. Today, Papa and I walked down to the giant neighborhood sheds near the bay to see the nebuta floats up close. They are absolutely colossal!

These aren't ordinary parade floats. They are giant, glowing sculptures made of wire, wood, and tough washi paper, all painted by master artists. They depict fierce historical warriors, mythical gods, and legendary beasts. Looking up at a giant warrior with glowing red eyes and a raised sword made me feel tiny. Papa explained that inside each float, hundreds of bright lightbulbs are wired together. When the sun goes down, they light up from the inside, making the characters look like they have come to life.

Tomorrow is my turn to dance. I tried on my haneto costume tonight. It has a bright white robe tied with colorful pink and yellow sashes. The best part is the hanagasa, a straw hat decorated with beautiful paper flowers. I practiced my jumps in the living room until Mama told me to save my energy for the street.

August 5

I did it! I danced in the grand parade tonight, and my feet are so sore, but I have never been happier.

The energy in the streets of Aomori was electric. As dusk fell, the giant nebuta floats began to glow against the dark sky. They looked like floating mountains of light drifting through the city. Then, the music started. The deep, thundering boom of the giant taiko drums vibrated right through my sneakers, accompanied by the high-pitched, cheerful whistles of bamboo flutes.

Suddenly, we were moving. As a haneto dancer, my job was to leap and dance alongside the floats to keep the crowd's energy high. We danced in a massive, swirling crowd, chanting "Rassera! Rassera! Rasse, rasse, rassera!" at the top of our lungs. The dance is a continuous hopping motion—two hops on the left foot, then two hops on the right.

At first, I was worried I would get tired, but the rhythm of the drums carried me forward. Every time a giant float spun around in front of us, the crowd roared, and we jumped even higher. Small metal bells tied to my sash jingled with every leap. Some of the bells fell off, which is actually good luck! Spectators on the sidewalk reached out to grab them as souvenirs.

By the end of the route, my costume was damp with sweat, and my throat was raspy from chanting. But looking back at the glowing face of a paper dragon float fading into the night, I felt incredibly proud to be part of this Tohoku tradition. I am going to sleep like a rock tonight, but I am already counting down the days until next year's festival.