Giant Akita Dog & Snow Igloo Make for Perfect Photos – 7 Must-Do Highlights at the Tohoku Japan Fun Festival

By MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team

The "Tohoku Japan Fun Festival," which attracts nearly 100,000 visitors each year to experience authentic Japanese culture, will be held from December 8 to 10 at Huashan 1914 Creative Park. This year’s event will feature for the first time traditional winter events such as the "Hirosaki Giant Nebuta Lantern Festival" from Aomori and the "Soba Noodle Bowl Eating Championship (Iwate Region Representative Selection)" – must-try Iwate cuisine. With a winter festival theme, imported Japanese Akita washi paper balloons, snow machines recreating Tohoku snow festival igloos, and traditional performances will decorate the venue, offering visitors an immersive and truly authentic taste of Japan’s Tohoku region.

1. World’s Tallest Akita Dog
Imported directly from Akita Prefecture, this 3-meter-tall Akita dog — the tallest in the dog world — is here to meet visitors.

2. Snowmobile for Rent, Snow Igloo on Site
A snow machine imported from Japan’s Tohoku region will build two 2-meter-high snow igloos, along with cute snowmen and winter festival decorations, at the venue’s perimeter, bringing the romantic ambiance of Japan’s snow igloo festivals.

3. The Soul of Tohoku Festivals
Imported and made in Japan – the original massive Nebuta lantern decorations from Aomori Prefecture’s festival season ! 

4. Soba Noodle Bowl Eating Championship National Finals – Taiwan Selection
The Soba Noodle Bowl Eating Competition, held annually in February in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, will hold its Taiwan regional selection during the Tohoku Japan Fun Festival. At 12:30 PM on December 8, a celebrity match featuring a popular online food-challenge influencer will kick off on the main stage. In addition, selection matches will be held once daily from December 8 to 10, open to all general visitors.
 
5. Aomori Oma Tuna Nigiri Sushi
Oma tuna from Aomori is the “Matsusaka beef” of the tuna world. Specially brought over from Aomori, Japan, via Tokyo’s Tsukiji market, it’s now at Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Taipei. The VIP preview will include freshly made high-quality toro and other cuts of tuna prepared on-site by Japanese chefs, served in various styles.