Highlights
- 2 August (Mon) to 7 August (Sat) 2027 — fixed dates every year, 2–7 August
- The final day, 7 August, is a Saturday; in 2026 it had the daytime parade (from 13:00) plus fireworks and the sea parade (about 19:15–21:00)
- 2027 seats not announced; in 2026: 4,000 yen for 2–6 August, 9,500 yen for the 7 August daytime + fireworks set; lottery 1–7 June, first general sale 27 June
- In 2026, group seats were first offered on 7–13 April and the individual-seat lottery ran 1–7 June — check the official seat guide from early April 2027
Background & story
Held in Aomori City every year from 2 to 7 August, the festival parades large illuminated nebuta floats through the city centre and ends on the final evening with fireworks and a bay parade of that year's top floats (Japan Tourism Agency description).
Aomori Nebuta Matsuri 2027 runs from Monday 2 August to Saturday 7 August 2027 in central Aomori City. The festival is held on the same dates every year, 2–7 August, whatever the day of the week (official festival site and Aomori Prefecture's official travel guide), and in 2027 those six days fall Monday to Saturday. Parade times, reserved-seat prices and sale dates for 2027 have not been announced: the official seat page says information for 2027 (Reiwa 9) will be posted once it is decided. This page sets out the 2027 dates with weekdays, what happened on each day at the 2026 edition, the 2026 reserved-seat prices and sale calendar, and the order in which to book a room and seats (checked 2026-10-14).
For the festival's background and highlights, see our evergreen page on the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri. For the full 2026 seat guide, see Aomori Nebuta 2026 reserved seats.
2027 dates by day of the week
| Date | Day | What happened on the same date in 2026 (2027 not yet announced) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 August | Mon | Evening: children's nebuta and large nebuta parade (from 19:00) |
| 3 August | Tue | Evening: children's nebuta and large nebuta parade (from 19:00) |
| 4 August | Wed | Evening: large nebuta parade (from 18:45) |
| 5 August | Thu | Evening: large nebuta parade (from 18:45) |
| 6 August | Fri | Evening: large nebuta parade (from 18:45); prizes announced |
| 7 August | Sat | Daytime: large nebuta parade (from 13:00); evening: Aomori Fireworks Festival and the sea parade (about 19:15–21:00) |
The dates and weekdays come from applying the official rule, "every year, 2 to 7 August", to the 2027 calendar; JTB's Tohoku festival page also lists the 2027 edition as 2 August (Mon) to 7 August (Sat). The times in the right-hand column are the 2026 official schedule, not 2027 times.
In 2027 the final day, 7 August, is a Saturday. If the 2026 pattern repeats, that is the day when the daytime parade and the evening fireworks and sea parade both happen, which means the busiest programme of the week falls on a weekend.
What is announced and what is not (as of 14 October 2026)
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Festival dates (2–7 August every year) | Stated by the official site, Aomori Prefecture's official travel guide and the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual description |
| 2027 parade times and number of floats | Not announced (2026 times shown above) |
| 2027 reserved-seat prices and sale dates | Not announced; the official site says it will update once decided |
| 2027 package tours | JTB says it will announce when 2027 tour sales start |
2026 reserved seats: prices to use as a guide
On the official seat page for 2026, the prices were as follows (tax and a guidebook included):
| Seat | 2026 price |
|---|---|
| 2–6 August | 4,000 yen per person |
| 7 August, daytime nebuta only | 4,000 yen per person |
| 7 August, daytime nebuta + fireworks set | 9,500 yen per person |
| Wheelchair seat (wheelchair user) | 3,200 yen per person |
The 2026 sales calendar ran like this: group seats (10+ people) were first offered on 7–13 April and the second round opened on 16 April; the advance lottery for individual seats ran from 1 to 7 June; the 7 August daytime-plus-fireworks set went on sale on 26 June; the first general sale was on 27 June; the 7 August daytime-only seats on 29 June; and the second general sale on 18 July. The official site updated its seat-purchase guide on 27 May 2026. There is no guarantee 2027 will follow the same calendar, but on the 2026 pattern the practical plan is to check the official seat guide from early April 2027 (group seats) and be ready for the June lottery and general sale for individual seats. The official site also has a separate page with seat information for overseas visitors.
Kinki Nippon Tourist (KNT) notes that it does not sell packages with seats for the evening sea parade. If you want a seat on the evening of 7 August, check how the official daytime-plus-fireworks set is handled when the 2027 details come out.
How to plan: room first, then seats
- Look for a room first. The dates are fixed every year, so the 2027 dates are already known. Decide which nights you want and check whether accommodation sites are already taking bookings for those dates.
- Compare package tours. If you want a tour that includes seats, wait for each agency's 2027 sales announcement (JTB had not started 2027 sales as of 14 October 2026).
- Check the official seat guide from early April. In 2026 group seats were first offered on 7–13 April, the guide was updated on 27 May, and the June lottery and general sale followed.
- Pick your day by what you want to see. On the 2026 pattern: 2 (Mon) or 3 (Tue) August if you also want the children's nebuta; 6 (Fri) August or later to see floats after the prizes are announced; 7 (Sat) August to see the daytime parade and the fireworks on the same day.
The official schedule warns that the floats may not complete the parade course within the road-closure window, so you may not see every float.
Where it happens and how to get there
The floats parade on the streets of central Aomori City. In 2026 the route centred on Shinmachi-dori, Hakko-dori, the national highway, Heiwa-koen-dori and Honcho-Teramachi-dori (KNT). Aomori Prefecture's official travel guide describes the festival area as within walking distance of JR Aomori Station. Road closures and temporary parking are published each year in the traffic section of the official site.
Hirosaki, also in Aomori Prefecture, holds a separate summer festival, Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri 2026. It is not the same event.
Sources and date checked
- Aomori Nebuta Matsuri official site: https://www.nebuta.jp/ (seat purchase guide, schedule)
- Aomori Prefecture official travel guide (Amazing AOMORI): https://aomori-tourism.com/en/spot/detail_15.html
- Japan Tourism Agency multilingual description "Aomori Nebuta Festival": https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/R1-01043.html
Checked 2026-10-14. When the 2027 programme is announced, we will update the parade times and seat prices and sale dates on this page.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- The parade route is in central Aomori City, within walking distance of JR Aomori Station (Aomori Prefecture's official travel guide). Road closures and temporary parking are published each year on the official site (checked 2026-10-14). Open directions in Google Maps ↗
- Booking & entry
- Check tickets and details on the official page (button above).
- Paying
- 2027 seat prices not announced. 2026: 4,000 yen (2–6 Aug and 7 Aug daytime only), 9,500 yen (7 Aug daytime + fireworks set), wheelchair seat 3,200 yen (tax and guidebook included). Smaller venues in Japan are often cash-first — carry some yen (cards/IC not guaranteed).
- Language
- Mostly in Japanese — a translation app on your phone helps.
- Good for
- culture seekers, families, groups of friends
Good to know
The dates never move (2–7 August). In 2027 the final day, 7 August, is a Saturday — on the 2026 pattern, the day of the daytime parade plus fireworks and the sea parade. Book a room first and check the official seat guide from early April (group seats), then be ready for the June lottery and general sale for individual seats (checked 2026-10-14).
Frequently asked questions
- When is the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri 2027?
- Monday 2 August to Saturday 7 August 2027. The festival is held on 2–7 August every year regardless of the weekday (official site and Aomori Prefecture's official travel guide), and in 2027 those days fall Monday to Saturday (checked 2026-10-14).
- What time do the 2027 parades start?
- 2027 times have not been announced. In 2026 the evening parades started at 19:00 on 2–3 August and 18:45 on 4–6 August; on 7 August the daytime parade started at 13:00 and the fireworks and sea parade ran from about 19:15 to 21:00 (official schedule, checked 2026-10-14).
- When do 2027 reserved seats go on sale, and how much are they?
- Not announced; the official site says it will update once decided. In 2026, seats for 2–6 August were 4,000 yen and the 7 August daytime-plus-fireworks set was 9,500 yen; the individual-seat lottery ran 1–7 June and the first general sale was on 27 June (official seat guide, checked 2026-10-14).
- Which day are the fireworks and the sea parade?
- The evening of the final day, 7 August, which is a Saturday in 2027. In 2026 the Aomori Fireworks Festival and the nebuta sea parade ran at Aomori Port from about 19:15 to 21:00 (official site, checked 2026-10-14).
- When should I book a hotel for Nebuta 2027?
- The dates are fixed every year (2–7 August), so you can already plan. Decide your nights and check whether accommodation sites are taking bookings. In 2026, group seats (10+ people) were first offered on 7–13 April and the individual-seat lottery ran 1–7 June, so book a room first and start checking the official seat guide in early April (checked 2026-10-14).
Getting there
Parade route in central Aomori City (Shinmachi-dori, Hakko-dori and nearby streets) — Shinmachi 2 and surrounding streets, Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture (walkable from JR Aomori Station)