Uma Nebuta floats move through Tsugaru as prayers rise with the flames of summer
Tsugaru City Umaichi Festival
The 2026 edition of Tsugaru City Umaichi Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/08/28 〜 2026/08/30Ended
- Season / frequency
- 3 consecutive days in late August every year / Every year
- Location
- Kizukuri area, Kashiwa area
- Area
- Aomori Prefecture・Tsugaru City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h–3 h 30 min · bullet train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Features
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Free
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A summer festival in Tsugaru City that carries on the memory of the old horse market. The Uma Nebuta Parade and Nitta Fire Festival bring the festival to life by day and by night.
About Tsugaru City Umaichi Festival
The Tsugaru City Umaichi Festival is a local festival associated with the horse auction market that once thrived in the Kizukuri area.
The horse market, which began in 1903, was well known enough to be counted among the 3 major horse markets in Tohoku.
After the horse market declined due to the mechanization of agriculture, a festival celebrating horses began in 1975, and it continues to enliven summers in Tsugaru City.
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the Uma Nebuta Parade held on the final day.
Uma Nebuta floats parade through the Kizukuri central shopping district, accompanied by creative performances and costumes.
At night, the Nitta Fire Festival sets the Uma Nebuta floats alight, offering a day-to-night experience unique to a festival rooted in the horse market.
Uma Nebuta floats move through Tsugaru as prayers rise with the flames of summer
What to expect
The festival takes place over 3 consecutive days in late August, with a variety of events such as and the Gento Uehara Cup.
On the final day, the daytime parade features Uma Nebuta floats made by local residents, along with groups in costumes and street dancers.
The evening concludes with the Nitta Fire Festival, where the Uma Nebuta floats are set alight and the spirits of the dead horses are commemorated.
Source: つがる市馬市まつり / 青森県 -【JAPAN 47 GO】
How to take part
Uma Nebuta floats made by local residents appear in the parade, alongside groups in costumes and street dancers.
Requirements and application procedures for general visitors who wish to join the parade as part of a group must be checked for each year's event.
Visitors can enjoy the festival events from along the parade route or at the venue.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kizukuri area, Kashiwa area / Kizukuri Wakamidori, Tsugaru City, Aomori Prefecture
- Train and bus
About a 10-minute walk from Kizukuri Station on the JR Gonō Line.
- Parking
Parking is available.
Address Kizukuri Wakamidori, Tsugaru City, Aomori Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The 2026 event is scheduled to run from August 28 (Fri) to August 30 (Sun).
Events take place in the Kizukuri and Kashiwa areas, including the Uma Nebuta Parade on the final day and the nighttime Nitta Fire Festival.
The 2026 dates have passed.
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Aomori Prefecture / Tsugaru City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The Uma Nebuta Parade winds through the Kizukuri central shopping district, so it is best to watch from a place that does not obstruct the procession.
The Nitta Fire Festival takes place at night, so note that the venue and time of day differ between the daytime parade and evening events.
Parking is available, but check the location and conditions of use in advance.
Nearby attractions
The Jomon Dwelling Exhibition Museum (Karuko) in Tsugaru City is listed as a nearby place to visit.
Other nearby spots include the Tsugaru City Melon and Watermelon Festival and Azumashi no Sato Onsen Ii Yu Dana.
If you plan to visit alongside the festival, check each facility’s opening days and each event’s dates separately.
高山稲荷神社
日本の青森県つがる市にある神社
写真：D-Chillz / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Tsugaru City Umaichi Festival
The festival’s history is rooted in a horse auction market that began in the Kizukuri area in 1903.
The horse market gradually declined as the number of draft horses fell, but in 1975 the Umaichi Festival began as an event celebrating horses.
Today’s Nitta Fire Festival carries the meaning of sending the spirits of horses that gave their lives in the development of new farmland up to heaven.
Official information
For inquiries, contact the Commerce and Tourism Division of the Tsugaru City Department of Economy.
The phone number is 0173-42-2111.
The event is listed as taking place in the Kizukuri and Kashiwa areas.
Tsugaru City Umaichi Festival at a Glance
The Tsugaru City Umaichi Festival is a summer festival that began against the backdrop of the horse auction market that flourished in the Kizukuri area.
Highlights include a parade pulling Uma Nebuta floats, costumed groups and street dancing, and the nighttime Nitta Fire Festival.
Enjoy the festival’s progression from day into night while tracing the area’s history with horses.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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