Hama Sushi Runs Its First Original Nebuta Float
Hama Sushi Co., Ltd. (President: Tetsushi Minami; Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo), which operates the conveyor-belt sushi chain Hama Sushi, took part in the Aomori Nebuta Festival held from Sunday, August 2 to Friday, August 7, 2026, running its own original “mae-nebuta” (front float) for the very first time. It is an unprecedented move for a nationwide sushi chain to join one of Japan’s most iconic summer festivals with a float it produced itself.
Event Overview
- Event: Aomori Nebuta Festival
- Dates: Sunday, August 2 – Friday, August 7, 2026
- Participating company: Hama Sushi Co., Ltd. (Zensho Group)
- Highlight: First-ever run of an original Hama Sushi “mae-nebuta” float
- Purpose: Contributing to the preservation of regional traditional culture and deepening employees’ understanding of Japanese culture
One of Tohoku’s Three Great Festivals
The Aomori Nebuta Festival is counted among the three great festivals of the Tohoku region and is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. Gorgeous illuminated “nebuta” floats, themed on kabuki, history and mythology, parade through the streets, while “haneto” dancers in colorful costumes leap and dance alongside them. Adding to the excitement are the “hayashi” musicians who fill the air with the sounds of flutes, taiko drums and hand-held gongs. Every year the festival draws large numbers of visitors from across Japan and around the world, making it a symbol of summer in Aomori.
What Is a “Mae-Nebuta”?
A “mae-nebuta” is a smaller float that leads the way in front of a large nebuta, displaying the name and theme of the group running it. Hama Sushi created its own original mae-nebuta and joined the parade. Rather than simply sponsoring the event, the company took part as a genuine participant, handling everything from production to the actual run — the defining feature of this initiative.
Supporting Local Culture While Educating Employees
There were two aims behind Hama Sushi’s participation. The first is contributing to the protection and transmission of regional traditional culture. Building and running a nebuta requires considerable funding and manpower, so corporate involvement helps pass the festival on to the next generation. The second is to serve as an opportunity for employees to deepen their understanding of Japanese culture. Standing on the festival grounds and experiencing the process from creation to parade offers learning that no textbook or classroom can provide.
The Zensho Group’s Japanese Culture Studies
Hama Sushi and the wider Zensho Group position themselves as a Japan-born global company responsible for the “stability” and “development” of human society, promoting a multicultural society. Believing that understanding the cultures of other countries begins with a deeper understanding of Japan — the country where Zensho was founded — the group has established facilities where employees and guests can learn about Japanese culture firsthand, and conducts training programs there. This nebuta festival participation is positioned as one practical expression of those Japanese culture studies.
Conclusion
For Hama Sushi, a chain that delivers sushi — a pillar of Japanese food culture — across Japan and overseas, joining a traditional Aomori festival with its own float is a symbolic act of sharing Japan through both cuisine and culture. With 2026 marking its debut run, customers now have a new reason to see their neighborhood sushi chain as a supporter of regional heritage, and expectations are high for continued participation in the years ahead.