Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
If you are in Hakuba tomorrow then this would certainly be a good way to check out a real local festival. These fish are ugly but very tasty so jump on a spectacular scenic train ride and go and enjoy a great day on the coast. I would definitely recommend it. The Nou and the Oyashirazu festivals on the following weeks are also easy to get to.
Worth the train ride
Hakuba Blog 
If you are heading down to any of these events, the train can be slow and if you have a group and an international driver’s license – consider renting a car… rental car for a day from Hakuba Car Rentals range from ¥12,375-¥18000 for the day and between four or five people, you beat the price of a train ride return trip.
Check us out – http://www.hakuba-car-rental.com 0261-85-0097