Hirosaki City announced the cancellation of the Hirosaki Neputa Festival on April 15.

The cancellation was revealed at a press conference by Mayor Hirosaki Sakurada held at Hirosaki City Hall from 14:40. According to Mayor Sakurada, as a result of hearing the opinions of 77 participating groups and discussing with the 5 hosting organizations, the "Hirosaki Neputa Festival" scheduled to be held from August 1 to 7 will be canceled. There was no dissenting opinion.

The "Hirosaki Neputa Festival" appears in history for the first time in 1722 (Kyoho 7), when the 5th feudal lord Nobuju Tsugaru visited Neputa. It was held in the form of the current joint operation from 1914 (Taisho 3) and was designated as a national important intangible folk cultural property in 1980 (Showa 55). The cancellation was during the war from 1937 (Showa 12) to 1945 (Showa 20), and it was the first time after the war to announce the cancellation before the event.

Mayor Sakurada said the reason for the cancellation was to prevent infection with the new coronavirus. "Although it is an outdoor event, people are crowded and tourists come from outside the prefecture. People gather in each group to prepare for the festival, We'll be working in an environment that is tightly closed and close, such as a Neputa hut. If there is any risk of infection, we should stop it. A tough decision."

The city will ask each group to refrain from self-service within the neighborhood. Mayor Sakurada calls out that "Neputa will enter the history in 2022 (300 years) in 300 years. It is important for each citizen to act even now to boost the festival next year and next year".

In Aomori Prefecture, the Aomori Nebuta Festival, Kuroishi Neputa Festival, and Hirakawa Neputa Festival have already announced that the event has been cancelled, and the Goshogawara Tatebudata Festival has already announced that 25 organizations have not participated. ..