毎年8月2日～7日に開催される「東北三大祭り」のひとつ。「ラッセラー」という掛け声とともに跳ね歩く「ハネト」と、それに続く灯篭型の巨大な山車「ねぶた」が練り歩く勇壮な光景は青森の夏の風物詩。高さ約5m、幅9mにも及ぶ大型ねぶたは、「ねぶた師」と呼ばれる職人によって1年近くかけて制作され、海外でも芸術的評価が高い。

The Aomori Nebuta Festival is one of the three major festivals in the Tohoku region, and it is held from August 2 to 7 every year. The soul-stirring scene in which Haneto dancers chanting “rassera” and a huge hanging lantern-shaped float called the Nebuta march through the streets is a special summer attraction in Aomori. The huge float, about 5 meters high and 9 meters wide, is created by craftsmen called Nebutashi over the course of nearly a year. Its artistic features are highly evaluated in other countries as well.

岩手県の特産品で、日本を代表する伝統工芸品のひとつ。江戸時代に南部藩が茶の湯釜を作らせたのがはじまりである盛岡と、平安時代から日用品の鋳物として使われていた水沢（奥州市）が産地。独特の製法によって生まれる調理機能の高さが海外でも注目されており、またカラフルな色付き鉄瓶も登場し人気を集めている。

Nanbu cast ironware is a specialty product in Iwate prefecture and is one of major Japanese traditional crafts. Nanbu cast ironware is produced in Morioka, where the Nanbu clan first ordered the production of iron teakettles for tea ceremonies in the Edo period (1603-1867), and Mizusawa (now Oshu City), where the ironware was used as cast-metal daily articles since the Heian period (794-1191). The ironware also attracts a lot of attention overseas for its high-level cooking functions created by the unique production method. In addition, colorful iron kettle products are now marketed and are becoming popular.

昔から色白な美人が多いといわれる秋田。世界三大美人のひとり「小野小町」の誕生の地が秋田だといわれていることに由来し、「秋田美人」のことを「秋田小町」とも呼ぶ。縁の地である湯沢市では毎年6月に「小町まつり」が開催され、この祭りに登場する市女笠に身を包んだ小町娘を「秋田小町」のイメージとしてフィギュア化。

Akita has long been known as a prefecture where there are many fair-skinned beautiful women. “Akita beauties” are called “Akitakomachi,” which is derived from the belief that Ononokomachi, who is one of the three most beautiful women in the world, was born in Akita. Yuzawa City, which is closely connected with Ononokomachi, hosts the Komacho Festival in June every year. We created a figure of a “Komachi girl” wearing a straw lampshade hat for this festival as an image of “Akitakomachi.”

戦国時代、「独眼竜政宗」の名を轟かせた初代仙台藩主・伊達政宗。1610（慶長15）年に築城された仙台城（青葉城）の天守台跡にある伊達政宗公の騎馬像は、仙台市内を一望できる高台にあり、人気の観光スポット。政宗公のトレードマークともいえる月形の前立の甲冑をまとい、勇ましい姿で仙台の街を見守っている。

Date Masamune was the first lord of the Sendai domain who was widely known as “Masamune, the one-eyed dragon” during the Warring States period (1467-1568). The statue of Date Masamune riding on a horse that stands on what used to be the castle tower of the Sendai Castle (Aoba Castle), which was built in 1610, is located on high ground overlooking the whole landscape of the City of Sendai, and is a popular tourist destination. The statue of Lord Masamune watches the city in a manly posture wearing an armor with a moon-shaped crest, which is said to be the trademark of the lord.

将棋駒の産地として有名な山形県天童市。毎年4月に桜の名所でもある舞鶴山で開催される「天童桜まつり」で、その名の通り、人が将棋駒になり対局を行う。縦約17m、横約14mの巨大な盤上を甲冑姿に扮した「駒武者」たちが、プロ棋士の指し手ごとに行き交うユニークなイベントで、1956（昭和31）年から続く天童の名物行事である。

Tendo City in Yamagata prefecture is famous for its production of Shogi pieces. At the Tendo Cherry Blossom Festival held in April every year on Mt. Maizuru, which is famous for its beautiful cherry blossoms, people become Shogi pieces and literally play a game of Shogi. This is a unique event in which “piece soldiers” clad in armor costumes move on a huge board about 17 meters long by about 14 meters wide according to the moves of professional Shogi players. It is a well-known event in Tendo that has taken place since 1956.

福島県喜多方市発祥の喜多方ラーメンは、独特の縮れがある平打ち麺が特徴。大正末期から昭和初期頃、中国から渡ってきた青年が屋台を引いて売り歩いた支那そばが元祖といわれ、それが次第に市民に浸透し、食堂でも出されるようになった。その名残からか、今も「○○食堂」という名のラーメン店が多く存在する。

Kitakata Ramen, which originated from the City of Kitakata in Fukushima prefecture, are characteristic flattened noodles with unique wavy curls. Their origin is said to have been Sino-soba noodles that were sold from the street stands carried by young Chinese people from the late Taisho period (1912-1925) to the early Showa period (1926-1989). These noodles gradually became popular among towns people and came to be served by ‘shokudo’ (restaurants). This is probably the reason why there are still many ramen shops whose names include the word ‘shokudo’.

構想から40余年をかけて1988（昭和63）年3月に開業。全長53.85kmの半分程度が海底を通り、それまで船で渡るしかなかった津軽海峡がトンネルでつながれたことで、より安全に行き来できるようになり、北海道と本州とを結ぶ大動脈となった。トンネル開業から28年を迎える2016（平成28）年3月に開業し、北海道新幹線が走る姿を再現。

The Seikan Tunnel opened in March 1988, almost 40 years after the plan for it was conceived. More than half of its entire length of 53.85 kilometers runs along the bottom of the sea, and the Tsugaru Strait, which could only be crossed by ship before the construction of the tunnel, was traversed by land routes, which enabled people to travel in greater safety. The tunnel became a main artery connecting Hokkaido and the Japanese mainland. Hokkaido Shinkansen (bullet train) Line will open in March 2016, 28 years after the tunnel was opened. We produced a model of the Shinkansen Series H5 running in the tunnel.

青森・岩手・秋田・宮城・山形・福島、自然豊かな風土に根ざした生活文化、力強く伝統ある祭や歴史など、さまざまな風景を見せてくれる『みちのく』。それぞれの郷土色豊かな名物を集め、バラエティ豊かな『みちのく』の魅力をお届けします。

“MICHINOKU FIGURE MIYAGE” is the miniature figures of famous institutions in Tohoku region : Aomori, Iwate, Akita, Miyagi, Yamagata and Fukushima.