2026 Hirakawa Neputa Festival: Full-Day Course
This is a one-day course centered on the opening day of the 'Hirakawa Neputa Festival' (Aug. 2-3, 2026), a festival quietly passed down in the Tsugaru Plain. During the day, visit Saruga Shrine (猿賀神社), known for its lotus flowers and Kagami-ga-ike pond, and spend a quiet moment at Seibien (盛美園), a Japanese garden designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty. After experiencing Tsugaru's local flavors at JA Tsugaru Mirai's Sanchoku Center Hiraka (JA津軽みらい 産直センターひらか), have an early dinner near Hiragi Station (平賀駅), and then the festival begins in earnest at night. At 7:00 PM, the sight of Neputa floats parading from the intersection in front of the Daily Yamazaki Hirakawa store toward Hiragi Station lets you feel the simple, treasured summer tradition carefully passed down by local residents. With a relaxed visit to a shrine and garden during the day and a Neputa procession to close out the evening, it's a quiet, charming day.
Schedule
A leading old shrine in Tsugaru, known for the lotus flowers of Kagami-ga-ike pond
A National Place of Scenic Beauty, a Japanese garden featuring a striking blend of Japanese and Western architecture
A rest stop lined with Tsugaru produce and local specialty foods
Handmade local Neputa floats parade from near the station into town
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