According to legend, the Tanabata Festival is the only day when the separated lover deities—Orihime and Hikoboshi—can meet across the Milky Way. Because of those star-crossed lovers, it's also called the Star Festival. During this day, cities are decorated with strips of colored paper and origami, often depicting someone's wishes. These strips are attached to trees and buildings or floated down rivers. In big cities, merchandisers compete for the best decorations, resulting in a multitude of beautiful and spectacular art works placed right on the city streets.
Places to Celebrate Tanabata Festival
The festival is celebrated across the country. The date of the festival depends on the region, but usually, it falls on the first week of July, while other places celebrate further into July and sometimes also in August. Tokyo is known for some of the finest celebrations. Check out the Asagaya Tanabata Festival, Shitamachi Tanabata, and Zojoji Tanabata—all held within the capital city.
Other cities famous for their Tanabata Festivals include the city of Hiratsuka, located an hour south of Tokyo. Another one is the city of Sendai that hosts the Tanabata Festival annually between August 6 and 8.
Zojoji Tanabata Festival in Minato, Tokyo (July 6-7, 2024)
Zojoji Temple is one of Japan's most remarkable Buddhist landmarks, with its impressive history as a resting place for shoguns. The Tanabata Festival at the temple is nothing short of special. Traditionally, crowds stop by the shrine grounds to write down their prayers and wishes on paper strips and hang them on a collective altar.
A highlight of the festival is a tradition of setting down candles around the temple to form a path known as the Milky Way, which symbolizes the link between star-crossed lovers. The festivities usually take place from 9 am to 9 pm.
Tanabata Sky Lantern Festival in Kyoto (July 13-15, 2024)
If you're in the Kyoto area, consider stopping by Joyo Gorigori Hill, where the annual Tanabata Lantern Festival is held. Hundreds of couples come together to enjoy this romantic evening. You can try your hand at such exciting games as ball scooping or target shooting or relax and indulge in ramune, fried chicken, or beer.
Music artists will entertain the crowd with soulful Japanese music. But the highlight of the night is most definitely the launching of lanterns, which are released all at once and dot the sky, creating a mesmerizing sight. The ticket to the event costs 6,500 Japanese yen. Children's tickets cost 2,500 yen, but kids under five years old can enter for free.
Asagaya Tanabata Festival in Tokyo (Early August, 2024)
One of the biggest Tanabata Festivals is annually in the bustling Tokyo neighborhoods of Asagaya. The district is known as a prime spot for shopping and dining, but in August, Asagaya Pearl Center transforms into a whirlwind of colors with traditionally dressed crowds and decorations. Vendors from all over the city and region offer tasty treats and festival games. The celebration is worth visiting just for the sheer number of hanging decorations, presented by local craftsmen. The stalls usually operate from 11 am to 7 pm.
History of Tanabata Matsuri
The Tanabata Festival has been celebrated in Japan since 755. This bright tradition stems from China's Qixi Festival. History has it, it was Empress Koken, the country's 46th monarch, who picked up the tradition and introduced the Star Festival to Japan. People loved the idea and it soon became a part of Japanese culture.
