Written by Aarohi Narain
Celebrate Japan’s star festival, Tanabata, in Yokohama.
What is Tanabata?
Tanabata is a traditional festival based on a romantic legend where two stars, Orihime and Hikoboshi, are allowed to meet only once a year. The modern embodiment of the festival centers on hope and reunion, and people celebrate by writing their wishes on colorful strips of paper and hanging them on bamboo.
What to expect
This Yokohama edition promises two luminous nights packed with displays, a place to write your wishes, live performances, and food stalls.
The showstopper? A sky lantern launch on Saturday, July 5 (7:20 to 7:40 p.m.) where festival-goers write wishes and drawings on lanterns before releasing them into the night sky with music and a countdown. You need to pre-register to take part and lanterns cost ¥4,500 to launch, but it is free to view in the surrounding area of Yamashita Park. If it is canceled, they will do it the following day.
After dark, look out for a Milky Way projection mapping show, plus colorful lighting on the 106m-tall Marine Tower. There will be food, drinks, and family-friendly workshops to round out the day-to-night festivities — because what’s a Japanese summer matsuri without them?
Pro tip: Also in the area (about an hour away by train), this Tanabata festival is Kantō’s biggest.
- 406 m from Motomachi-Chūkagai Station Minatomirai Line (MM6)
- 0.7 km from Nihon-ōdōri Station Minatomirai Line (MM5)
- 1.0 km from Ishikawachō Station Negishi Line (JK4)
