Tanabata Festivals in Japan

Tanabata Star Festival

On July 7 (sometimes early August), Japan celebrates Tanabata, the Festival of Stars.

Originally, Tanabata was linked to Obon, the festival of the dead. Between July 7 and 15, young girls called Tanabata-tsume would go to the riverside to weave clothes for the dead, which they would then hang on bamboo branches to guide their souls. Another version tells of a weaver offering her cloths to the spirits on the seventh day of the seventh month.

This tradition then blended with a Chinese legend introduced in the Nara period (710-794): that of Orihime, the star Vega, and Hikoboshi, the star Altair, two lovers separated by the Milky Way, allowed to meet again just one night a year.

Over time, the festival took on new colors: during the Heian period (794-1185), young girls prayed to perfect their sewing skills, while in the Edo period (1603-1868), the celebration was extended to the entire population. Today, Tanabata is a time when everyone hangs their wishes on bamboo branches, letting their most cherished hopes float into the sky.

Modern traditions are festive:

• Bamboo branches are decorated with tanzaku, colored paper on which a wish is written
• Lanterns are hung in shopping districts
• A yukata is worn to stroll the streets, which are littered with food stalls on festival night

In the past, decorations were burned or thrown into the water to make wishes come true. Today, this practice is often abandoned for ecological reasons.

1. Hiratsuka's Tanabata Festival

Every summer, the town of Hiratsuka pulls out all the stops for the Tanabata Festival! The main streets are decked out with bamboo decorated with tanzaku, lanterns, and fabrics while visitors stroll through the town amidst food stalls and street performances. All in all, several thousand visitors come to admire Hiratsuka in July.

FURTHER INFORMATION
Dates: July 6-8
Location: Shopping streets of Hiratsuka town

In Kyoto, Tanabata takes on a more poetic form. Along the Kamogawa River, lanterns and modern LEDs create a romantic atmosphere not to be missed on a trip to Japan. Visitors can write their wishes on tanzaku, take part in cultural events such as tea ceremonies and admire works of art inspired by the legend of Orihime and Hikoboshi. In the evening, the illuminations reflected in the water offer a spectacular sight.

FURTHER INFORMATION
Dates: Early August (variable according to zone)
Location: Kamogawa River and downtown Kyoto

5. Shimizu's Tanabata Star Festival

In the Shimizu district of Shizuoka, the festival is known for its colorful decorations hanging in the shopping streets. The atmosphere is convivial, with numerous food stalls, children's games and musical performances.

FURTHER INFORMATION
Dates : early July
Location: Shimizu shopping district (Shizuoka city)

6. Tanabata in Tokyo

In Tokyo, Tanabata is celebrated in several districts. In Asakusa, for example, the streets near Senso-ji are decorated with bamboo and lanterns, where wishes can be written. In the city's shopping malls and major railway stations, modern installations also allow you to take part in the festivities: sound and light shows, digital art exhibitions based on the legends of Tanabata, and QR codes for sending wishes on a digital bamboo —the capital blends tradition and technology to celebrate the stars!

FURTHER INFORMATION
Dates: around July 7
Location: districts like Asakusa, shopping malls and major Tokyo stations like Shibuya, Ikebukuro and Shinjuku