Highlights
- Official reserved seats are ¥4,000 (Aug 2–6 and Aug 7 daytime); Aug 7 day + fireworks set is ¥9,500
- 2026 sale: lottery Jun 1–7 (closed), first-come general sale Jun 27 10:00, 2nd round Jul 18
- Buy via nebuta.jp → Ticket Pia / Lawson Ticket; overseas-visitor route available
Background & story
Held Aug 2–7 every year, the Nebuta Matsuri parades giant washi-and-bamboo warrior floats lit from within; official reserved seats (chair and tatami) line the prime stretch of the route.
The Aomori Nebuta Matsuri (Aug 2–7, 2026) parades giant illuminated warrior floats through the streets of Aomori each night. To watch the prime stretch head-on, buy an official reserved viewing seat (yuryo kanran-seki). This page has the verified 2026 prices and sale dates; for the buying logic across festivals see how to buy summer-matsuri grandstand seats, and for another festival see Awa Odori 2026 grandstand tickets.
2026 dates
- Aug 2–3 (evening): children's nebuta + large nebuta processions
- Aug 4–6 (evening): large nebuta processions
- Aug 7 (daytime): large nebuta procession; (evening): Aomori Fireworks Festival + nebuta sea procession (floats on boats in the bay)
2026 reserved-seat prices (official)
The official seats are chair seats (most) and tatami / sajiki seats (shoes off); all are reserved — there is no free seating.
- Aug 2–6: ¥4,000 per person (chair and tatami same price)
- Aug 7 daytime nebuta only: ¥4,000 per person
- Aug 7 daytime + fireworks set ticket: ¥9,500 per person
- Wheelchair seats (Aug 2–6, Aug 7 daytime): ¥3,200 (user) / ¥4,000 (attendant)
All face prices include tax and a guidebook; a per-ticket handling fee is added by the ticket agent on top.
2026 sale schedule
- Pre-sale lottery (best individual seats): June 1–7, 2026 — closed
- General sale, Round 1 (first-come): June 27, 2026, 10:00
- General sale, Round 2: July 18, 2026, 10:00
- Aug 7 daytime + fireworks set: from June 26, 2026, 9:00 (limited)
- Aug 7 daytime only: from June 29, 2026, 9:00
- Same-day tickets: from 17:00 on the festival day
Individual seats (groups of nine or fewer) are sold via Ticket Pia, Lawson Ticket and Pomit! Ticket. There is also an overseas-visitor route on the official site, and travel agencies (HIS, KNT) sell tour packages that include seats.
Note: separate VIP "premium seats" advertised at much higher prices are a private commercial product, not the official executive-committee seats above. The official seat price for 2026 is ¥4,000.
Getting there from Tokyo
- Tohoku/Hokkaido Shinkansen (Hayabusa): Tokyo → Shin-Aomori, about 3 hours (fastest ~2h58m), reserved fare around ¥17,670 one-way.
- Shin-Aomori → Aomori Station: local Ou Main Line, ~6 minutes. The parade route is within walking distance of Aomori Station.
Inbound tip
The June 27 general sale is first-come — be logged into Ticket Pia or Lawson a few minutes early and buy the moment it opens. The best evenings (Aug 6 and the Aug 7 boat-float + fireworks) sell out fastest.
Official seats & buying guide: nebuta.jp. Confirm the latest dates and prices on the official page before you pay.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- The parade route is within walking distance of JR Aomori Station. From Tokyo: Tohoku/Hokkaido Shinkansen (Hayabusa) to Shin-Aomori ~3h, ~¥17,670; then Ou Main Line local to Aomori Station ~6 min. Open directions in Google Maps ↗
- Booking & entry
- Check tickets and details on the official page (button above).
- Paying
- Reserved viewing seat ¥4,000 (Aug 7 daytime + fireworks set ¥9,500); handling fee added. 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
Good to know
The June 27 general sale is first-come — be logged into Ticket Pia or Lawson a few minutes early; Aug 6 and the Aug 7 sea-float + fireworks sell out fastest.
Getting there
Aomori city-centre parade route, Aomori — Central Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture (near JR Aomori Station)