Red ribbons of steel, reminiscent of a curtain, form the outer envelope of the Nebuta Museum in Aomori, a port city in northern Japan. Situated behind them are an exhibition hall, a theatre, rehearsal rooms, and a restaurant. The cultural centre is dedicated to Nebuta Matsuri, one of Japan’s largest festivals. The nebuta figures are made by hand of paper; they are bursting with colour and, on top of that, are illuminated from within. They represent famed warriors, animals and demons; the figures – as decorative floats – are carried through the centre of the city each year in August.