Hirosaki Neputa Festival Special Viewing Seats Go on Sale April 1st (Wednesday)!

The Hirosaki Tourism and Convention Bureau (Headquarters: Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture; Chairman: Chiharu Mikami; hereinafter referred to as "Hirosaki Tourism and Convention Bureau"), which is responsible for tourism in Hirosaki, has decided to continue selling special viewing seats and group seats for the Hirosaki Neputa Festival, with the cooperation of companies in Hirosaki City, allowing visitors to fully enjoy the festival. Sales will begin around noon on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. **Hirosaki Neputa Festival** Changing seasons from the Hirosaki Castle Cherry Blossom Festival in spring, the Hirosaki Neputa Festival is a summer tradition held annually from August 1st to 7th. It is one of Aomori Prefecture's representative summer festivals and is designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property. More than 60 groups parade through the city center with fan-shaped neputa floats, ranging from small to large, approximately 7 meters in height. **Features of Paid Viewing Seats** ■ Special Viewing Seats (1 box: maximum 4 users) Limited to 4 groups per day. Enjoy a special Neputa experience in a covered box seat. You can feel the power of the neputa directly in front of you, at the same height. Aomori's local cuisine, additive-free and antioxidant-free Hirosaki apple juice, and all-you-can-drink famous sake from Tsugaru are also available. Enjoy an unforgettable summer in Hirosaki in a private space. Dates: August 1 (Sat) - 4 (Tue), 2026. Reception starts at 17:30. Price: 200,000 yen (tax included) / 1 box Location: 1-12 Moto-Teramachi, Hirosaki City (former Sankaku Center site) Services: Bento box, all-you-can-drink, souvenir (Tsugaru Vidro glass), etc. Area: Approximately 7 square meters (2.6m x 2.6m) Timetable: 17:30 Reception starts 17:45 Neputa viewing before departure (optional) ⇒ You can view the neputa floats waiting before departure with a guide. 18:30 Commentary on today's Neputa Festival highlights ⇒ A guide will provide commentary on the highlights before the parade begins. 19:00 Parade starts *Service provision ends when the parade concludes. Special Viewing Seat Image ① *Image is for illustration purposes only Special Viewing Seat Image ② *Image is for illustration purposes only ■ Group Seats (1 table: maximum 6 users) You can relax and watch in a spacious area away from the crowds. Food and drinks are allowed, so you can enjoy the powerful Hirosaki Neputa up close. Dates: August 1 (Sat) - 6 (Thu), 2026. Reception starts: 17:30 (Aug 1-4), 18:00 (Aug 5-6) Price: 20,000 yen (tax included) / 1 table Location: ≪August 1-4≫ 1-12 Moto-Teramachi, Hirosaki City (former Sankaku Center site) ≪August 5-6≫ Hirosaki Station Central Exit Taxi Pool, Ekimae-cho, Hirosaki City Area: Approximately 16 square meters (4m x 4m) *Meals and drinks are not included. You may bring your own food and drinks. *If you have 7 or more people, please reserve 2 tables. Group Seat Image ① *Image is for illustration purposes only Group Seat Image ② *Image is for illustration purposes only **About Sales** Sales location: On the special website within the Hirosaki Tourism and Convention Bureau homepage (URL: https://www.hirosaki-kanko.or.jp/edit.html?id=neputa_specialseat) Sales start date: Around 12:00 PM on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 *The number of seats is limited each day. Please understand if they are sold out. **[Information on Materials for Reproduction]** Materials for reproduction related to this release, such as photos, logos, and venue maps, can be found on the following Google Drive. (URL: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Fj9AMWhWM-RL300jaxujBnEGUYXP_wCN/view?usp=drive_link) ***General chair seats will be sold from June 22nd for 3,000 yen (tax included) per seat via the internet, etc.** **Public Interest Incorporated Association Hirosaki Tourism and Convention Bureau** The Public Interest Incorporated Association Hirosaki Tourism and Convention Bureau aims to contribute to the sound development of the local community by leveraging the cultural and social characteristics of Hirosaki City and its surrounding areas, promoting tourism and conventions, and revitalizing the local economy. **[Organization Overview]** Organization Name: Public Interest Incorporated Association Hirosaki Tourism and Convention Bureau Location: Hirosaki City Tourist Hall 2F, 2-1 Shimashirogane-cho, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture 036-8356 Chairman: Chiharu Mikami Business Activities: (1) Public relations and promotion of tourism, local products, and local performing arts (2) Attraction and support for tourists (3) Development of infrastructure for receiving tourists (4) Promotion of wide-area tourism cooperation (5) Attraction and support for conventions (6) Development and improvement of tourism resources and implementation of tourism-related events (7) Entrusted operation and maintenance of tourism facilities, etc. (8) Other businesses necessary to achieve the purpose of this corporation HP: https://www.hirosaki-kanko.or.jp/ **[Inquiries regarding this matter]** Contact: Hirosaki Tourism and Convention Bureau (Public Interest Incorporated Association), Tourism Promotion Division, Sakamoto, Onagawa TEL: 0172-35-3131 Mail: kanko@hirosaki-kanko.or.jp