Nagasaki Spirit Boat Procession

Nagasaki’s Spirit Boat Procession, known as the Shoro Nagashi (精霊流し), takes place on August 15 each year. While Obon generally welcomes spirits to the world of the living, this event is specifically held to send off the souls of the deceased—particularly those who passed away within the last year—to the afterlife. The festival is famous for the shōrōbune (精霊船), elaborate hand-crafted boats adorned with glowing lanterns and family crests, which are paraded through the city streets to the deafening sound of firecrackers, gongs, and rhythmic chanting intended to ward off evil spirits. The festivities typically begin around 5:00 PM and continue late into the night as the boats move toward the harbor.

The intensity of the firecrackers is unparalleled; families and neighborhoods burn them by the crate, creating a constant, thunderous barrage that makes high-quality earplugs an absolute necessity for anyone near the procession route. The main flow of the parade moves through the Kencho-zaka area toward the Ohato terminal and the waterfront. Due to the massive volume of gunpowder smoke and the physical scale of the moya-bune (large community boats), pedestrian crossings are strictly prohibited along the main thoroughfare once the event is underway. Visitors should also be aware that the air quality in narrow streets can become quite heavy, making a mask practical for those sensitive to smoke.