Aomori’s Giant Paper Lantern Floats and Quiet Gardens

The warm August air carried the scent of summer as we stepped off the ship at Aomori’s cruise port. After arriving by cruise, I joined a shore excursion that promised a scenic ride through the region and a few stops to experience the local culture.

Aomori (青森市 – Pronounced Ah-oh-moh-ree) sits at the northern tip of Japan’s main island of Honshu. The city is best known for its summer festivals, especially the illuminated lantern parades that bring the streets to life each August.

Our first stop was Tsugaru-han Neputa Mura, a cultural village that showcases the massive lantern floats used in the local Neputa Festival. Standing beside these towering works of art made their scale clear. Each float is painted with dramatic scenes of warriors and legends, with fierce expressions and vivid colors that seem to glow even indoors.

The grounds also included a small Japanese garden that offered a quiet contrast to the bold lantern displays. Later we visited Hirosaki Park, where tree lined paths and ponds created a calm place to walk. The excursion ended with a visit to Seibien Garden, a Meiji era stroll garden with curved bridges, a small villa, and a torii gate tucked among the trees.

Aomori’s identity is closely tied to its festivals and traditions. The lantern floats displayed at Neputa Mura are replicas of those carried through the streets each August during the Aomori Neputa Festival. Even outside the celebration, the artistry and history behind these displays reveal how deeply the festival culture shapes the city.