Morioka｜Iwate's legendary Sansa Dance Festival with a 5-day JRPASS Tohoku summer festival itinerary

If you plan to go to the Tohoku Summer Festival this summer and experience a different Japan, you can save travel expenses by using the Tohoku JRPASS for several great festivals. By the way, the Tohoku Shinkansen will merge and separate in Morioka, which is also a must-see scenery. First of all, let’s talk about the most beautiful scenery in the Tohoku Summer Festival-the Morioka Sansa Dance Festival, which is held on Central Avenue from August 1 to August 4 every year. Not only does it have the Guinness World Record for the largest number of people and the drum parade, but also the annual Sansa Dance Miss will participate in the parade. According to legend, in ancient times, there was an evil ghost that had been invading this area, and the residents were miserable, so they went to ask the gods of the Mitsuishi Shrine for help. After the gods subdued the evil ghost, they asked him to put handprints on three stones to promise not to make trouble again. This is also the origin of "Iwate Prefecture". After the evil ghost was subdued, the residents happily danced around the stones and shouted Sansa, Sansa, which also became the origin of the Sansa Dance. Since the summer festivals in Tohoku are concentrated in early August, the following is a five-day itinerary for reference: Day 1 (8/3): Use JR Pass to take the 9:54 or 10:14 Shinkansen from Tokyo Ueno to Morioka, which takes about two hours. After arriving, you can first taste the famous Morioka cold noodles. This cold noodle with watermelon is chewy, salty and sour, and finally eat a bite of watermelon to cool down. After dinner, check in at the hotel or store your luggage, and then visit the Iwate Bank Red Brick Museum and Morioka Hachimangu Shrine. In fact, during the festival, there will be a Japanese drum team performing in front of the station at noon to welcome tourists. 📍Address: 11-2 Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate 020-0023 Japan In the evening, you can go to the Yatai Street to buy some festival food and drinks, and then walk to the Central Avenue, have a picnic, and wait for the festival to come at 6 pm. Day2 (8/4): In the morning, there is still some time to visit Sakurayama Shrine and feel the protective power built next to the ruins of Morioka Castle, and then walk around the park to see Morioka Castle. Take the 11:59, 12:09, or 12:26 Shinkansen to Aomori Hachinohe. First store your luggage at the station and have lunch first. Starting at 3 pm, there will be a Sansha Festival, a portable shrine and a float parade. 📍Address: 1 Chome-1-1 Uchimaru, Hachinohe, Aomori 031-0075 Japan After feeling the lively atmosphere of the festival, you can take the 17:14 Shinkansen to Shin-Aomori and then transfer to Aomori. After checking in at the hotel, participate in the lively Nebuta Festival. You can also give up the Sansha Festival and take the 12:09 or 12:47 Shinkansen to Shin-Aomori to transfer and choose to stay in Hirosaki. Then go to Aomori to visit the product hall and see the daytime sleep demon. Watch the festival until 8 o'clock in the evening, take the bus back to Hirosaki, and enjoy another fan-shaped sleep demon festival. 📍Address: 1 Chome Central, Aomori, 030-0822 Japan Day3(8/5): If you live in Hirosaki, you can visit Hirosaki Castle in the morning, and then visit the Tsugaru Domain Sleep Demon Village to see the fan-shaped sleep demon craft. Then take the JR Ou Main Line to Akita, which takes about 2 hours. After checking in, you can go to the Namahage Museum to see the unique folk customs of the Oga Peninsula, or enjoy the lotus in Senshu Park. At night, you can enjoy the only competitive Kanto Festival in the Tohoku summer festival. 📍Address: Japan 〒010-0921 Akita, Omachi, 1 Chome−6−41 Kamiyamachi 1-chome Public Hall Day4(8/6): In the morning, you can use the time to visit Kakunodate Samurai House and experience the Little Kyoto of Mutsu, or go to Nyuto Onsen, and return to Tokyo the next day. You can also take the 13:13 or 14:06 Shinkansen to Sendai. After checking in, you can go to Hirose Street to experience the beautiful decorations of the Tanabata Festival. If the trip is made one day in advance, you can also enjoy the fireworks show on 8/5. 📍Address: 3 Chome-2 Ichibancho, Aoba Ward, Sendai, Miyagi 980-0811 Japan Sendai's edamame milkshake, edamame mochi, and beef tongue are all delicious. Don't miss them. Use JRPASS to return to Tokyo the next day. The Tohoku version of jrpass is not cheap, but if you look at the itinerary, it should be worth the price. #MayGoodPlaces2025