Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival

In its 69th year, Hiratsuka’s Tanabata is the biggest in the Kanto region, attracting around 1.7m visitors over the three days of the festival. The colourful festivities will be centered around the shopping street on the north side of Hiratsuka station. The official event will continue until 9pm on Friday and Saturday and until 8pm on Sunday.

Officially, it is one of the “three great Tanabata Festivals in Kanto”, although the other two (in Iruma and Mobara) are much smaller.

(Greg Lane)