Nebuta Float Featuring Santa Claus Attracts Visitors to Aomori Museum

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:31 JST, December 21, 2024

AOMORI — “Nebuta Santa” is attracting visitors to The Nebuta Museum WA-RASSE in Aomori. The ornate float, called a nebuta, depicts Santa Claus in a sled pulled by a reindeer and stands 2.2 meters tall and 3 meters wide.

The model of a valiant Santa handing out presents from atop an adorable reindeer will be on public view near the first-floor entrance of the cultural and tourist exchange facility until Wednesday. Visitors do not have to pay an entrance fee to see the float.

This is the first time a nebuta float with a Santa Claus design has been unveiled at the facility. It was created by nebuta artist Hiroaki Fukushi.

To make the bag that the Santa holds in his left hand, Fukushi reused washi Japanese paper he originally used for a nebuta float displayed during the Aomori Nebuta Festival earlier this year.

“The colors of the float are very beautiful. The combination of nebuta and Santa Claus is interesting,” said Harumi Nakasato, 59, from Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture.