Nebuta show staged in Japanese Industry Pavilion

Shingo Mimura, Governor of Japan's Aomori Prefecture, delivers a speech holding red Fuji apples produced in the prefecture.[expo2010.cn]

Red Fuji apples and Japanese Nebuta Festival performance kicked off Aomori Prefecture Week on Tuesday at Japanese Industry Pavilion.

Aomori Prefecture was most famous for its Red Fuji apples and it was also famous for its traditional Nebuta Festival, beautiful snow-covered mountains, large forests and fresh air, said Shingo Mimura, Governor of Japan's Aomori Prefecture, while holding a red Fuji apple in each hand during the opening ceremony.

He said he hoped more people would learn about the prefecture through this Expo and visit to enjoy the apples and scenery.

During the ceremony, Mimura and other guests joined a ritual to open Japanese sake. Performers from Aomori staged a show of Nebuta Festival. The festival is one of the three largest Japanese traditional festivals and one of Japan's intangible cultural heritages. During the Nebuta celebration parade, painted wooden floats, illuminated by light bulbs, are pulled through the streets. The festival is usually celebrated in early August with floats, painted lanterns, dances and tunes playing.

Aomori Prefecture Week will run through July 11 with performances on JAL Stage at Japanese Industry Pavilion with a large Nebuta Festival Parade paper fan-shaped lantern standing beside. Produces and products of the prefecture will be introduced to the visitors at the pavilion.