TV Announcer Aika Kanda Attends Her First Aomori Nebuta Festival

A Gift from the Gods!?

In mid-June, my mother and I were talking: “We should go to the Nebuta Festival at least once!” The event runs for six days, from Saturday, August 2nd to Thursday, August 7th. But I already had work on the 2nd, and on weekdays I have the live broadcast of Pokapoka (Fuji TV). If I were to go this year, it would have to be on Sunday the 3rd—but since the parades take place at night, there would be no way to return to Tokyo that same day. That meant going back Monday morning and heading straight to Pokapoka. If anything went wrong, I might be late, and being late because of a personal trip was unthinkable. So, I gave up on going to Aomori’s Nebuta Festival this year.

But just a few days later, my manager called: “You’ve been booked for a Nebuta-related job.” I hadn’t asked for Nebuta work; it just happened by chance. Since it was for work, returning Monday morning was acceptable. (Maybe this is a gift from the gods!) For the first time in a long while, I felt like living a steady, serious life focused only on work had really been the right path.

I paid for my own lodging and also covered my mother’s travel and hotel expenses, so she was able to come with me. When I told her, she was overjoyed. I felt so happy to have found such an unexpected way to be a dutiful daughter.

On the day of the event, I wore a haneto costume for the first time. A haneto is someone who dances in front of the floats to the festival music, shouting “Rassera!” They play an important role in enlivening the parade, and anyone can join in. I rolled up my yukata sleeves, looped the sash under both arms, and tied it at the back. When it tightened, my spine straightened. It felt as though the sash itself was telling me, “Carry yourself with courage and grace,” and I felt a surge of determination.

Then we moved to the special studio. It was so close to the floats that if I reached out, I could almost touch them. Even though it was for work, I couldn’t believe I had the chance to watch from such an incredible spot. My mother, too, looked so happy.

Finally, the festival began. The sound of the Nebuta musicians filled the air. “Wow—it’s starting!!” My eyes flew open in excitement. People beat the great taiko drums in perfect unison, others played the flutes with intense focus, and some spun their wrists skillfully to strike the kane gongs. They were clearly enjoying themselves, but also deadly serious—you could feel the hours of practice behind it. I was instantly drawn into the world of Nebuta.

Then came the wave of smiling haneto. When they noticed me and my fellow performers, they came closer and tossed bells our way. It’s said that receiving a haneto bell brings happiness. I had already decided, “I must take at least one home!” But since so many bells were thrown to us, I started to worry— “If I gather this much happiness, won’t it somehow flip and turn into misfortune!?”

Overwhelming Power That Pulls You In

And then, finally—the Nebuta appeared! Standing 5 meters tall, 9 meters wide, and 7 meters deep. The street we were on was relatively narrow, so the float filled the entire width. It was as if a Nebuta building was coming straight toward us—an overwhelming spectacle. In response to the shouts from the crowd along the roadside, it swayed sideways and rocked up and down. The sharp, wide-open eyes of Benkei, the wind god, and the dragon painted on the float locked with mine. I felt as if I were being drawn in, even possessed. The sheer presence and realism were terrifying—so lifelike it seemed alive. To think that human hands had created this filled me with awe at the artistry.

When I shifted my gaze downward, I saw dozens of men dangling from the horizontal beams beneath the float. The Nebuta weighs 4 tons. These energetic men used their full body strength to control its movements. The mechanism surprised me so much that I couldn’t help blurting out, “So that’s how they make it move!?” I had never once been interested in younger men before, but at that moment, every one of them looked incredibly cool.

Back at the hotel, my mother and I shared our impressions. “I never thought I’d get to see Nebuta. I’m so happy. It was wonderful—thank you so much,” she said. Hearing that, I promised myself I would never forget this day, this time. I also realized that Japan still holds countless experiences waiting to be enjoyed. As long as I remain Japanese, I’ll never have to believe words like, “Once you get older, there’s nothing fun left in life.” I went to bed that night thinking, (I’m lucky to be Japanese!)

Kanda Aika — Born in 1980 in Kanagawa Prefecture. After graduating from the Faculty of Science, Department of Mathematics at Gakushuin University, she joined NHK in 2003 as an announcer. She left NHK in 2012 to become a freelance announcer. Since then, she has been active mainly in variety programs and is currently a regular main MC on the weekday daytime show Poka Poka (Fuji TV).

★ Her first book, compiling this very series, Ōdō tte iu michi, doko ni tōtte masu ka? (“Where Exactly Does This So-Called Royal Road Lead?”), is now on sale to great acclaim!

From “FRIDAY”, September 5, 2025, issue.