Nebuta Matsuri

Jump!Star’s illuminated Future North Star sculptures are inspired in part by the centuries-old Nebuta Matsuri of Aomori, Japan. Each summer, communities there build monumental paper-and-wire lanterns—towering vignettes that depict ancient Samurai warriors and the mythic beings of regional folklore. These glowing forms are carried through the streets in evening processions, accompanied by taiko drums, flutes, and dancers in full regalia.

Nebuta is not only a celebration of craft and imagination, but also of community—hundreds of people work together to construct, illuminate, and animate the sculptures. This spirit of collective making and celebratory ceremony deeply informed the development of Jump!Star’s illuminated Future North Star sculptures.

In 2015, Jump!Star’s Creative Director, artist George Ferrandi, traveled to Aomori on a Japan–US Friendship Commission fellowship to study the Nebuta process firsthand—observing and interviewing Nebuta artists, especially master artist Hiroo Takenami. Upon her return, she translated the Japanese materials used in Nebuta to ones available in the US and has been teaching the process to communities around the country since 2017.