Hanawa Neputa

Summary

Hanawa Nebuta in Kazuno, Akita, is a two-day Tanabata festival held every August 7–8, and the fireworks come on the second night. On Saturday, August 8, 2026 from 21:10, the riverbed below Inamura Bridge over the Yoneshiro River hosts the display, with ten Go-piece-shaped Ohsho lanterns over five meters tall and ten two-meter barrel drums lined up in rows. Alongside the Nemuri-nagashi lantern-floating, fireworks climb into the sky in time with the drumbeats.

Overview

Hanawa Nebuta unfolds across two days in the Hanawa district, and the second day, August 8, carries the fireworks. On the riverbed below Inamura Bridge, the ten giant Ohsho lanterns and ten barrel drums stand in formation, and the evening flows in one line from the Nemuri-nagashi — where the lanterns are lit and floated down the river — into the fireworks. The overlap of drumming and bursting shells is a moment unique to this event. The venue is a 10-minute walk from JR Kazuno-Hanawa Station and about 3 minutes from the Tohoku Expressway Kazuno-Hachimantai IC. Traffic restrictions apply around the site, so drivers should follow the signs. Roadside Station Kazuno provides 250 free parking spaces, and food stalls line the venue.

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