青森夏日祭巡遊開始

Recently the NHK News reported the following:

東北地方を代表する夏祭り「青森ねぶた祭」が始まり、高さ５メートルの勇壮な大型ねぶたが、青森市の夜の街を練り歩きました。青森ねぶた祭は７日までで、期間中、およそ３００万人が訪れると見込まれています。
「青森ねぶた祭」は、武者絵をかたどった「ねぶた」と呼ばれる勇壮な山車が、青森市の街の中を練り歩く夏祭りです。初日の２日は、雨が降ったりやんだりのあいにくの天気となり、午後７時すぎから、およそ３０台のねぶたに透明のシートをかけて運行が始まりました。大型ねぶたは、高さ５メートル、幅９メートルあり、沿道に設けられた観覧席の前で、引き手が回転させると、盛んな拍手が送られていました。ねぶたの周りでは、「ハネト」と呼ばれる踊り手たちが、「ラッセラー、ラッセラー」という独特の掛け声とともに力強く飛び跳ね、青森の夜は熱気に包まれました。北海道から来た男性は「道路いっぱいに広がるねぶたが迫力満点でした。あすはハネトとして祭りに参加してみたい」と話していました。また、中国から来た観光客の女性は「とてもすばらしかった。ハネトが音楽に合わせて跳ねる様子が、エネルギーにあふれていて感激しました」と話していました。

The "Aomori Nebuta Festival" that represented the summer festival of north east region had started, and the spectacular, large-scale Nebuta of five meters in height paraded in the town of Aomori City at night. The Aomori Nebuta Festival would last until the 7th of this month, and it could expect about three million people to visit during the period.
In "Aomori Nebuta Festival" the spectecular parade called the "Nebuta" that had copy drawing of warriors was a summer festival parade in Aomori City. The first day was the 2nd of this month, because of the unlucky weather of rain-stop-rain, transparent sheets were put on about 30 Nebuta and at 7:00PM the parade started. Nebuta were five meters in height and nine meters in width and these large-scale Nebuta were rotated using pulling handles, in front of the spectator seats that had been installed along the route, and much applause were received. Surrounding the Nebuta were dancers called "Haneto" who jumped up and down forcefully, shouting with peculiar cheering sound "Rassera, Rassera", and the night in Aomori was full of bustling amidst noise and excitement. A man came from Hokkaido said ｢The Nebuta that extended to the full road was powerful to the maximum. I want to participate in the festival as "Haneto" tomorrow ｣. Also, a woman tourist from China said, ｢It was very wonderful. The sight of Haneto dancing according to music was overflowed with energy, I was deeply moved. ｣

I wish I could some day visit Japan to enjoy this Aomori Nebuta Festival and to share the joy.