Accommodation for Aomori Nebuta Matsuri

We're a group of five planning to visit the final day of the Nebuta festival on 7th August 2017. We might try to find accommodation in Aomori, but we're not optimistic.

However, we plan to travel to Osorezan the following morning, so thought perhaps it might be an idea to get a late train out of Aomori (after the parade, floats on boats in the bay, and the fireworks). We can only get as far as Noheji on the way to Shimokita station, as trains don't run on the Ominato line after about 9:30pm.

It doesn't look as through there are many places to stay in Noheji, though. I'm guessing it's a very small town. Are there places anyone could recommend, and how might a non-Japanese speaker go about booking places which do not offer on-line booking facility?

You may want to consider Toyoko Inn Aomori-eki Shomen-guchi. Reservation is accepted 6 months in advance for members, and 3 months for non members.
http://www.toyoko-inn.com/e_hotel/00158/

This is something I've looked into, but I'm not a member. As far as I can see, there's no way of becoming a member without physically being in Japan, which I am not. I can't see a way that I could book six months in advance.

Just wait, August is still more than 6 months away, many hotels have not opened reservations yet.

I can't see a way that I could book six months in advance

Do you know anyone/ any friend who is a member? Who might be willing to assist you.
I personally reserved many times for friends in the past, and they derived the benefit the moment they checked in and became members.

Thanks for all the advice. It's only a couple of days until August is 6 months away, so I will see what opens up in Aomori over the next few weeks. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone who could book a Toyoko Inn.

Did you manage to reserve any room for the Matsuri? I have been looking for a room, but no luck.

Consider hotels in Hirosaki as well. It's about 45 minutes from Aomori by train. The benefit is that at the same time as Aomori is having its Nebuta Matsuri, Hirosaki is having their own Neputa Matsuri. I was able to visit both festivals in 2015 and enjoyed the Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri more. It had a "small-town" feeling to the festivities and parade...which I liked.

Looking on Rakuten now, Aomori and Hirosaki are both pretty much sold out; there are still a couple rooms in Hachinohe however.

I had the same issue last year and ended up in Mutsu. I left Aomori station at 8.30 PM, so I had the time to enjoy the matsuri until 8:15. The train was fully packed, with employees pushing the people inside, but it was worth it. The train making the connection at Noheji was waiting for us. The next day I went to Osorezan...

You might also try the camping place that is available during the Nebuta. I had found some info last year but I can't find it anymore. Other possible solutions are manga kissas or sleep in the ferry going from Aomori to Hakodate (there are multiple departures during the night).

You could also try Hachinoe. It's on the Shinkansen line to Aomori so it's about 30 minutes train ride away.

No, I still haven't found anything. I see there are actually a couple of hotels with rooms available, but they don't really suit our requirements. I'm still thinking of booking in Noheji. Don't particularly want to leave Aomori before the fireworks finish, which rules out getting as far as Mutsu.

I see there are actually a couple of hotels with rooms available, but they don't really suit our requirements.

What is your requirements? Room rate? Room size? Distance from the city center (or some specific places)?

Aomori does not have many hotels as compared to Tokyo or Osaka, and this is the only 1 day for them to receive many tourists. So it is very natural that the room rates get highter, maybe 3- to 4 times higher than normal days.

As far as I searched, Hotel JAL city Aomori is providing "reasonable" prices (of course it is more than 3 times higher than normal days).

https://secure.reservation.jp/okura-jalhotels/stay_pc/rsv/rsv_src_pln.aspx?pmin=0&hi_id=4&rc=1&du=0&du=&smc_id=&cond=or&lang=ja-JP&dt_tbd=0&cl_tbd=0&cc=h1_0&ra=&pa=&rt=&st=0&dt=2017%2F08%2F07&le=1&mc=2&search_btn.x=115&search_btn.y=39

Twin bed room (120 cm width bed x 2, 24 sqm, including breakfast) 43000 yen per room for 2, etc. This is "pre-paid, non refundable" rate.

Since it still has vacant rooms, not so many people are convinced by this rate at this time, I think.

APA hotel provides "free cancellation rate" via Booking.com which is 39700 yen (15 sqm double bed room) which in my opinion is more expensive considering the room size and the bed type. In any case these hotels should think these rates should be accepted and the rooms will be full at the end (I don't know this is true or not).

Sorry, the url I pasted does not work.

I used google url shortener.

https://goo.gl/FxEsG9

This is the top page of the hotel.

http://www.aomori-jalcity.co.jp

I've been watching the Aomori accommodation for the Nebuta Matsuri situation since November last year and things have just been snapped up so quickly even with a lot of hotels wanting payment in advance. The other month I got a room at Hyper Hotels Passage for 36000 yen for two people which is 16000 yen more than I wanted to pay but I just grabbed it and am glad I did tbh.

Toyoko inn did have a number of their rooms for Hirosaki available back in November on booking.com, I booked a couple of nights for August back then. I don't know how much if anything will be available by the time their site opens up for non members at the 3 month mark.

The Japanese Rakuten page currently has some rooms available at two APA hotels, but again they're 36000 for two people.

Oh, and another option for places to stay (if you have a JR pass) is Hachinohe, it's a 25 min shinkansen ride away. It takes about the same amount of time to get to Shimokita station from there as it does from Aomori.

You can forget Toyoko Inn. I am a member and I watched all rooms snapped up as soon as they became available (6 months ahead). I don't think they save any room for non-members. The only hope is to wait for cancellation.

Our main requirement is that we have twin bed rooms (not doubles).

Vienna Logan, could you tell me a bit more about what you did last year? Did you visit on the last day of the festival? How much of the fireworks/bay parade do you see if you leave at 8:15pm? When the train was really crowded, were there people who did not get onto the train? It is the last train with a connection to Shinokita so we would not be able to miss it if this was our plan...

Art Hotel Hirosaki City on Booking.com still has some twin rooms available. It has triple rooms too, grab it fast.

I'd book in Hachinohe over Hirosaki, Hirosaki will add another 40-60 mins to your Osorezan trip the next day.

That said, there's some rooms in Asamushi Onsen. They have Japanese style rooms which sleep 5 for 60,000-80,000 yen: http://search.travel.rakuten.co.jp/ds/vacant/searchVacant?f_cd=03&f_dai=japan&f_chu=aomori&f_shou=aomori&f_sai=&f_nen1=2017&f_tuki1=08&f_hi1=07&f_nen2=2017&f_tuki2=08&f_hi2=08&f_otona_su=5&f_s1=0&f_s2=0&f_y1=0&f_y2=0&f_y3=0&f_y4=0&f_heya_su=1&f_kin=&f_kin2=0&f_hyoji=&f_campaign=&f_point_min=0&f_point_max=10&f_teikei=&f_gcode=&f_sort=&f_tab=&f_page_style=&f_service=&f_rm_equip=&lid=jparea_dated_map&f_rec_no=68192,68192,149278,149278&f_rec_num=2

The last train to Asamushi Onsen is at 10:56.