The 70th Nihonmatsu Chrysanthemum Doll Exhibition

Begun in 1955, the Nihonmatsu chrysanthemum doll exhibition ranks with Takefu in Fukui and Hirakata in Osaka as one of Japan's three great kiku-ningyo shows, and is the signature autumn event of the Tohoku region. The setting, Kasumigajo Park, occupies the ruins of Nihonmatsu Castle, so stone ramparts and autumn foliage frame the flowers in a way found nowhere else. Each doll is built by planting living chrysanthemums into a bamboo armature to form its robes, and specialist kikushi craftsmen tend the plants throughout the run to keep the blooms fresh. The 70th edition in 2026 is themed "The Bonds of the Toyotomi and the Pride of the Niwa," telling the story of the Niwa family who ruled the Nihonmatsu domain across several tableaux. Alongside the dolls are competitive displays of large blooms and cascading kengai arrangements.