Goshogawara Tachineputa Festival

Overview

The Goshogawara Tachineputa Festival (Goshogawara Tachineputa) is a summer festival held annually from August 4 to August 8 in Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture. The festival features enormous human-shaped paper lanterns called "Tachineputa" which stand approximately 23 meters tall and weigh about 19 tons, parading through the city center. This impressive event is considered one of the representative summer festivals of Aomori Prefecture, accompanied by the chant "Yattemare! Yattemare!" along with traditional music played by festival musicians and dancers called "Haneto."

The most distinctive characteristic of this festival is that it revived the giant "Neputa" lanterns that were created in Goshogawara from the late Meiji period to the early Taisho period. Unlike typical Nebuta festivals, the Tachineputa stands vertically as a giant human-shaped lantern, captivating spectators with its overwhelming scale and power. During the festival period, three large Tachineputa are joined by medium-sized Tachineputa and small Neputa created by local neighborhoods, high schools, festival groups, and companies.

History and Origin

The origin of the Goshogawara Tachineputa is believed to date back to a folk custom called "Nemuri-nagashi" (sleepyhead floating) that was traditionally practiced in the Tsugaru region. According to one theory, the "Nemuri-nagashi" custom gradually developed into a colorful lantern festival in Aomori Prefecture, eventually becoming today's "Neputa" and "Nebuta" festivals. It is estimated that the "Nemuri-nagashi" in the Tsugaru region transformed into a "lantern festival" around the late 17th century of the Edo period.

The oldest confirmed record of a "Neputa festival" appears in an article from the Tsugaru domain's "Kuni Nikki" (domain diary) dated Kyoho 7 (1722). This article records that the feudal lord observed "Nefuta" in various neighborhoods, indicating that the festival had already been established by that time. Entering the 19th century, significant changes occurred with the emergence of doll lanterns and the enlargement of Neputa, leading to a more colorful and grand festival.

During the Meiji period, Goshogawara flourished as a transit hub for the rich agricultural, forestry, and marine resources of the Tsugaru region. Wealthy merchants and large landowners began to display floats (Neputa) in the summer festival as symbols of their power, sparking competition. This competition caused Neputa to become increasingly enormous, and around Meiji 40 (1907), Neputa reaching a height of 15 ken (approximately 27 meters) were being created. It is even said that some Neputa reached heights of 30 meters.

However, with the advent of the Taisho period, the spread of electricity led to power lines and telephone wires being strung throughout the city, restricting the height of Neputa. As the sound of war approached, the festival also shrank, and two major fires during the war (Showa 19, 1944) and after the war (Showa 21, 1946) resulted in the loss of most historical materials. While joint neighborhood parades resumed from the mid-Showa 20s (around 1950), giant Neputa never reappeared. By the late Showa period and into the Heisei period, the festival's vitality was once again diminishing due to the collapse of the bubble economy, regional economic decline, and an aging population with fewer children.

In Heisei 5 (1993), design drawings for the base of a giant Neputa were discovered in the home of a family whose grandfather had worked as a carpenter for the wealthy merchant "Nuka" who had flourished in Goshogawara during the Meiji and Taisho periods. This discovery sparked momentum among local volunteers for restoration, and in Heisei 8 (1996), a giant Neputa named "Musha" (Warrior), standing 16 meters tall and dubbed "Tachineputa," was revived. This Neputa was paraded along the Iwaki River bed and, following ancient custom, was set ablaze and sent to the heavens. From Heisei 10 (1998), power lines and telephone wires along the parade route were reorganized, and the festival was formally revived as a community-wide summer celebration.

Highlights

The Overwhelming Scale of Giant Tachineputa The large Tachineputa are enormous human-shaped lanterns reaching approximately 23 meters in height and weighing about 19 tons. This size was achieved by recreating the giant Neputa of about 15 ken (approximately 27 meters) seen in photographs from around Meiji 40 (1907), which served as reference material during the revival in Heisei 8 (1996). When illuminated at night by streetlights and building lights, the Tachineputa appear almost alive, giving spectators a sense of overwhelming power and majesty.

The Departure Scene from the Tachineputa Museum The Tachineputa Museum features a glass exterior with movable large doors, and during the festival, these doors open to allow the Tachineputa to depart for their parade. This moment of departure is a highlight eagerly awaited by many spectators, offering the thrill of watching the giant lantern, previously seen being crafted through the glass, actually begin to move. The museum permanently displays three large Tachineputa, allowing visitors to view them up close even outside the festival period.

The "Yattemare!" Chant and Festival Music During the parade, several musicians lead the way playing drums and flutes, followed by dozens of Haneto dancers who jump and shout "Yattemare! Yattemare!" According to one theory, the shout "Yattemare" is a corruption of "Yatteshimae!" meaning "Do it!" or "Go for it!" and is said to be a remnant from the era when giant Neputa would meet on street corners and fights would break out. Spectators join in clapping to the rhythm, and the festival's excitement continues late into the night.

The Unique Style Preserving Late Meiji Traditions The Goshogawara Tachineputa preserves the style of the giant Neputa from the late Meiji period, which differs from both the fan-shaped Neputa of Hirosaki and the human-shaped Nebuta of Aomori City. The name "Tachineputa" was given during the Heisei revival, whereas historically it was simply called "Neputa." This traditional style features vertical human-shaped lanterns approximately 23 meters tall, and its verticality and enormous size constitute the most striking difference from other Nebuta festivals.

Open Production Process and Goldfish Neputa Experience At the "Tachineputa Production Workshop" on the third floor of the Tachineputa Museum, visitors can observe the production process of lanterns divided into over 50 parts, as well as view the completed works up close. Production begins with the completion of preliminary sketches in late September of the previous year, followed by actual work starting in October, with pasting, coloring, and final assembly completed around mid-February of the following year. On the fifth floor of the museum, visitors can also participate in making small goldfish-shaped Neputa or Neputa lights using retired lanterns, making for a memorable souvenir of the festival.

The "Motsuke" Spirit of Citizens Who Revived the Festival The Goshogawara Tachineputa is a festival revived through donations of money, materials, and technical skills from local volunteers and citizens. The first revived Tachineputa named "Musha," created in Heisei 8 (1996), was displayed on the Iwaki River bed and later set ablaze according to ancient custom, ascending to the heavens. This revival story stands as a source of regional pride, embodying the "Motsuke" (strong will and determination) spirit of Goshogawara citizens.

Event Information and Access

1. Event Period: Annually from August 4 to August 8 (five days). A fireworks festival is held on August 3, with no Tachineputa parade that day. Parade hours are approximately from 19:00 to 21:00. The dates are fixed regardless of the day of the week.

2. Venue: Throughout the central city area of Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture. The parade route starts from the Tachineputa Museum and loops through the city streets.

3. Access (Train): Approximately 3 minutes on foot from JR Gonosen Line Goshogawara Station. JR East operates special trains during the festival period.

4. Access (Car): Approximately 10 minutes by car from the Tsugaru Expressway Goshogawara IC. Use of public transportation is strongly recommended due to severe congestion. Temporary parking lots are available, but traffic regulations are enforced during the event.

5. Reserved Seating (Sajiki-seki): Available. Inquiries should be directed to FM Goshogawara (phone number should be confirmed on the official website). Free viewing areas are also set up throughout the city.

6. The latest schedule and event status should be confirmed on the official website of the Goshogawara City Tourism Association (http://www.go-kankou.jp/tachine). Parade content may change due to weather or other circumstances.

Surrounding Information

The Tachineputa Museum is a permanent exhibition facility for the giant Tachineputa used in the festival, allowing visitors to view the lanterns year-round even outside the festival period. Located at 21-1 Omachi, Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture (phone: 0173-38-3232), it is open from 9:00 to 17:00 and closed on January 1. Admission fees are 650 yen for adults, 500 yen for high school students, and 300 yen for elementary and junior high school students for the Tachineputa exhibition hall, with combination tickets for the art gallery also available. The museum is a five-minute walk from JR Gonosen Line Goshogawara Station.

Goshogawara City is one of the central cities of the Tsugaru region, and the Tsugaru Railway runs through the area. The Tsugaru Railway is famous for its winter stove trains, connecting Tsugaru-Goshogawara Station to Tsugaru-Nakasato Station. The city also contains historical sites related to the wealthy merchant "Nuka" and other remnants of the prosperity from the Meiji to Taisho periods.

The Iwaki River is a landmark of Goshogawara City and the location where the first revived Tachineputa "Musha" was paraded and later set ablaze in Heisei 8 (1996). It is said that the giant Neputa from that era could be seen from as far away as the Kanagi area, 12 kilometers distant. Visitors to Goshogawara can enjoy not only the festival but also the natural beauty and historical atmosphere of the Tsugaru region.

Related Information

1. The official website of the Goshogawara City Tourism Association (http://www.go-kankou.jp/tachine) provides detailed information about the history, transformation, and revival process of the Tachineputa.

2. The official website of the Tachineputa Museum (https://tachineputa.jp/about/) offers information about the exhibition facility, festival schedule, and reserved seating details.

3. The Goshogawara City government page on cultural properties (https://www.city.goshogawara.lg.jp/kyouiku/bunka/tachineputa.html) provides academic perspectives on the historical and cultural background of the Tachineputa.

4. An article on JR East Media (https://media.jreast.co.jp/articles/972) introduces the goldfish Neputa making experience at the Tachineputa Museum and the background of the request for exhibition at the Tokyo Dome.

5. A song titled "Tachineputa" performed by Goshogawara-born singer Kyu Kikumasa exists, with lyrics, composition, and vocals all by Kikumasa, capturing the atmosphere of the festival.

6. The Goshogawara Tachineputa Festival is sometimes counted among the "Four Great Summer Festivals of Tohoku" along with the Aomori Nebuta Festival, Hirosaki Neputa Festival, and Hachinohe Sansha Taisai. However, this classification varies among tourism associations and media, and sometimes the Goshogawara Tachineputa is included in a group of "Five Great Summer Festivals of Tohoku."

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