Aomori Nebuta Festival, Akita Kanto Festival, and Sendai Tanabata Festival: 2-night, 3-day sightseeing tour
- A special summer-only tour that lets you enjoy three of Tohoku's most representative summer festivals all at once!
- We will guide you to the spectacular Aomori Nebuta Festival, the beautiful and fantastical Akita Kanto Festival with its dazzling lights, and the vibrant Sendai Tanabata Festival.
- The Aomori Nebuta Festival and the Akita Kanto Festival both have viewing seats, so you can enjoy these vibrant traditional festivals of Tohoku up close and at your leisure.
- We'll visit popular tourist spots unique to Tohoku, such as Kakunodate's samurai residences, known as the "Little Kyoto of Michinoku," and Nyudozaki, a scenic spot at the northernmost tip of the Oga Peninsula.
- For your meal, you can enjoy local specialties such as Akita's famous "Inaniwa Udon" and Morioka's famous "Reimen" (cold noodles).
- Accommodation is available at Oga Onsen and Towada Lakeside Onsen, where you can relax and unwind from your travels.
- Travel is comfortable by Shinkansen (bullet train). A tour guide will accompany you from Tokyo Station until the last day, so even first-time travelers can participate with peace of mind.
- This popular annual tour allows you to enjoy festivals, stunning scenery, hot springs, and delicious food that color the Tohoku region's summer, all in one place.
Package Options
Sightseeing Tours
| Tour Type | Shared tour |
| Transportation method | Transfer from meeting point |
| Minimum participant requirement | 11 travelers |
| Meal arrangement | Breakfast included |
| Accommodation type | Hotel |
| Seasonal | Summer Festival |
| Sightseeing type | Natural sights |
| Transport | Bus tour |
Product Info
The content of this product is provided by machine translation and may not reflect the actual information, please take this into consideration before booking.
This is a special summer-only tour that takes you to three of Tohoku's most representative summer festivals all at once.Enjoy the fantastical Akita Kanto Festival, the thrilling Aomori Nebuta Festival, and the vibrant Sendai Tanabata Festival, and fully experience the traditional culture and energy of Tohoku.
For sightseeing, we will guide you to charming scenery and scenic spots unique to Tohoku, such as the samurai residences of Kakunodate, a popular town known as the "Little Kyoto of Michinoku," and Nyudozaki on the Oga Peninsula, which offers panoramic views of the Sea of Japan.
For meals, we offer local specialties from across the Tohoku region, such as Akita's famous "Inaniwa Udon" and Iwate's famous "Reimen" (cold noodles). You can enjoy the food, which is one of the pleasures of traveling.
We offer accommodations at hotels in Oga Onsen and Towada Lakeside Onsen. After sightseeing, you can relax in the hot springs or large public baths.
This tour utilizes Shinkansen bullet trains and chartered buses for transportation, and a tour guide will accompany you from departure at Tokyo Station until the final day, making it a safe and enjoyable experience even for first-time travelers.
Enjoy a recommended summer trip that packs in all the charm of Tohoku, including festivals, hot springs, stunning scenery, and delicious food.
The Akita Kanto Festival is a summer festival with a history of over 270 years, held annually from August 3rd to 6th. Craftsmen skillfully manipulate giant bamboo poles, which resemble "glowing rice stalks," by positioning them in a cross shape, attaching numerous lights and lanterns to them. Enjoy the Kanto festival's spectacular performances as the participants parade through the streets accompanied by drumming from the viewing stands.
[Aomori Nebuta Festival] Held annually from August 2nd to 7th, this is one of Japan's most representative festivals in the Tohoku region. Approximately 20 giant, illuminated floats made of washi paper, called "Nebuta," parade dynamically through the night streets along a 3.1km course. You can enjoy this popular and impressive festival, which attracts over 3 million tourists every year, from the viewing seats. Dancers called "Haneto" dance wildly and energetically to the music of traditional drums and flutes.
![[Aomori Nebuta Festival] Held annually from August 2nd to 7th, this is one of Japan's most representative festivals in the Tohoku region. Approximately 20 giant, illuminated floats made of washi paper, called "Nebuta," parade dynamically through the night streets along a 3.1km course. You can enjoy this popular and impressive festival, which attracts over 3 million tourists every year, from the viewing seats. Dancers called "Haneto" dance wildly and energetically to the music of traditional drums and flutes.](https://image.kkday.com/v2/image/get/c_fit%2Cq_55%2Ct_webp%2Cw_960/s1.kkday.com/product_scm_21564/20260529023628_WdTYF/jpg)
[Sendai Tanabata Festival] Japan's largest Tanabata festival, continuing since the time of Lord Date Masamune! You can see the magnificent bamboo decorations and seven ornaments that are layered and flutter in the wind! It is one of Tohoku's summer festivals, combining the elegance of Japan's ancient star festival with the splendor of its decorations.
![[Sendai Tanabata Festival] Japan's largest Tanabata festival, continuing since the time of Lord Date Masamune! You can see the magnificent bamboo decorations and seven ornaments that are layered and flutter in the wind! It is one of Tohoku's summer festivals, combining the elegance of Japan's ancient star festival with the splendor of its decorations.](https://image.kkday.com/v2/image/get/c_fit%2Cq_55%2Ct_webp%2Cw_960/s1.kkday.com/product_scm_21569/20260601083325_Hc48G/jpg)
[Kakunodate Samurai Residence Street] Located in Semboku City, Akita Prefecture, this historic town is affectionately known as "Little Kyoto of Michinoku." The samurai residences from the Edo period remain beautifully preserved, and the scenery, adorned with black wooden fences and weeping cherry trees, gives the feeling of having stepped into the world of a historical drama.
![[Kakunodate Samurai Residence Street] Located in Semboku City, Akita Prefecture, this historic town is affectionately known as "Little Kyoto of Michinoku." The samurai residences from the Edo period remain beautifully preserved, and the scenery, adorned with black wooden fences and weeping cherry trees, gives the feeling of having stepped into the world of a historical drama.](https://image.kkday.com/v2/image/get/c_fit%2Cq_55%2Ct_webp%2Cw_960/s1.kkday.com/product_scm_21569/20260601080928_36BpZ/jpg)
[Nyudozaki] This popular scenic spot is located at the northernmost tip of the Oga Peninsula in Akita Prefecture. A magnificent view unfolds overlooking the Sea of Japan, allowing you to enjoy a grand panorama that stretches to the horizon.
![[Nyudozaki] This popular scenic spot is located at the northernmost tip of the Oga Peninsula in Akita Prefecture. A magnificent view unfolds overlooking the Sea of Japan, allowing you to enjoy a grand panorama that stretches to the horizon.](https://image.kkday.com/v2/image/get/c_fit%2Cq_55%2Ct_webp%2Cw_960/s1.kkday.com/product_scm_21569/20260529025944_dNXPz/jpg)
Purchase Notice
[Travel conditions]
Departure point/Destination: Tokyo/Akita/Aomori/Miyagi
Trip duration: 2 nights, 3 days
Transportation used: JR Shinkansen (bullet train) and chartered bus.
Bus companies operating the service: Dream Kanko and other equivalent contracted bus companies.
Meals: Breakfast twice, lunch twice, dinner twice (packed lunch)
Accommodation: [First night] Oga Kanko Hotel, Oga Hotel, or Seiko Grand Hotel (Japanese-style room, Japanese-Western style room, or Western-style room)
[Second night]: Towada-so or Lake View Hotel (Japanese-style room, Japanese-Western style room, Western-style room)
Minimum number of participants: 11 people
Tour guide: 1 person
[Travel planning/execution]
Company Name: T-LIFE Holdings Co., Ltd.
Address: 4F, Hikarigaoka MK Building, 5-11-26 Takamatsu, Nerima-ku, Tokyo
Registration Number: Japan Tourism Agency Registered Travel Agency No. 197
Affiliated travel industry association: Japan Association of Travel Agents
Reminders
A minimum of 11 traveler(s) are required for the tour to depart. If the number of participants does not reach the minimum requirement, the tour will be canceled. An email regarding tour cancellation will be sent 21 day(s) before the departure date
Please arrive at the designated location 5 minute(s) before the scheduled departure time, as the tour will depart on time
The festival will generally be held even in the event of rain. Furthermore, if the festival is cancelled or postponed due to severe weather, the decision will be made on the day of the event, and the tour will still proceed. Please note that in such cases, we will not be able to refund seating fees. Also, the seating area is not covered. The seats may be wet in the event of rain, so please bring a raincoat or similar. (Umbrellas are not permitted.)
Please wear comfortable shoes, as it may take about 20 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the festival venue.
Arrival times at each accommodation may vary depending on the level of occupancy.
Your accommodation may be changed to a hotel of equivalent class.
To ensure the bus driver has sufficient rest time, the departure time the following day may change depending on the time of arrival at the hotel the previous day.
Due to road conditions, congestion at tourist spots, etc., it may be unavoidable that some sightseeing spots will be omitted, sightseeing time shortened, departure times may be brought forward, or arrival times may be delayed.
Our tour guides may provide explanations in Japanese using a multilingual simultaneous interpretation system. This system supports languages from around the world, including English, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, and Korean. (Please bring your smartphone; app installation is not required.)
FAQ
The Aomori Nebuta Festival typically runs annually from August 2nd to 7th. The main highlights are the evening parades, where massive, illuminated floats are pulled through the city streets. On the final day, there's often a daytime parade and a fireworks display, concluding the festival. This tour includes dedicated viewing seats for a comfortable experience.
The Aomori Nebuta Festival is famous for its dynamic and powerful atmosphere, featuring giant, illuminated floats depicting brave warriors and mythical figures. These floats are paraded by groups of energetic dancers called 'haneto', who chant 'Rassera, Rassera'. The main highlights are the vibrant night parades, accompanied by traditional music and the lively participation of the crowds, creating an unforgettable spectacle. The tour includes viewing seats for an optimal experience.
The 'Rassera Rassera' chant is an iconic and energetic call used by the 'haneto' dancers during the Aomori Nebuta Festival. It serves to heighten the excitement and maintain the rhythm of the parade, encouraging both the float pullers and the spectators. This enthusiastic chant is an integral part of the festival's unique soundscape, symbolizing the festive spirit and inviting everyone to join in the joyous celebration.
For experiencing the full grandeur of the Aomori Nebuta Festival, the evening parades, typically held from August 2nd to 6th, are highly recommended for their spectacular illuminated floats. On the final day, August 7th, a daytime parade and often a marine parade with fireworks are also popular. For the best viewing experience, consider securing designated viewing seats, which many tours offer, to enjoy the dynamic floats and dancers without obstruction.
The Aomori Nebuta Festival typically runs from August 2nd to 7th. The Akita Kanto Festival usually takes place from August 3rd to 6th. The Sendai Tanabata Festival is held from August 6th to 8th. These three major Tohoku summer festivals are intentionally scheduled close together in early to mid-August, allowing visitors to experience the unique charm and excitement of all three within a condensed travel period.
The Aomori Nebuta Festival is renowned for its colossal, brightly lit warrior floats and energetic 'haneto' dancers. The Akita Kanto Festival showcases incredible feats of balance as performers carry towering poles adorned with many lanterns, creating a mesmerizing display of light. The Sendai Tanabata Festival transforms the city with thousands of elaborate, colorful streamers and decorations, making for a truly gorgeous and festive atmosphere. Tours often include viewing seats for Nebuta and Kanto to fully appreciate these spectacles.
You can participate in comprehensive tours specializing in the Tohoku Three Great Summer Festivals. Booking through KKday offers advantages like convenient round-trip Shinkansen travel from Tokyo and the comfort of a dedicated tour escort throughout your journey. Such tours typically secure guaranteed viewing seats for major events like the Aomori Nebuta and Akita Kanto festivals, ensuring an excellent vantage point. They also often arrange quality accommodation, such as at Oga Onsen and Lake Towada Onsen, and include opportunities to enjoy local gourmet meals.
Many traditional Japanese summer festivals, including the Aomori Nebuta, Akita Kanto, and Sendai Tanabata, are typically held in early to mid-August. This timing often coincides with the Obon period, a significant traditional holiday in Japan, making it a popular time for festivities. Historically, summer festivals were also linked to agricultural prayers for good harvests or rituals to ward off evil spirits. Their close scheduling allows visitors to experience multiple grand festivals within a single summer trip.
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