Have you heard that Japan celebrates the same festival in different months and with totally distinct styles, depending on the city? The Tanabata Matsuri, one of the most beloved events of the Japanese summer, follows exactly this logic. Although the day July 7 is the national symbolic reference, many festivals take place in August, and each region creates its own atmosphere — from intimate celebrations in small villages to bursts of color in urban centers like Sendai and Tokyo.
If you are planning to travel through Japan between July and August, experiencing the different regional Tanabata Matsuri can transform your experience. In this guide, we have gathered the main festivals by locality, highlighting estimated dates, cultural particularities, and the style of each event.
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The Main Tanabata Festivals in Japan
Below, you will find the main festivals held in Japan:
Sendai Tanabata Matsuri
Considered the largest and most famous Tanabata in Japan, the Sendai festival transforms the city center with thousands of giant handmade decorations called kusudama. The event includes parades, night shows, and decoration competitions. It is one of the few that follows the lunar calendar, which is why it takes place in August.
Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata
It is the largest Tanabata in the Kanto region, attracting over 1.5 million visitors each year. The city’s central station is filled with bamboo tunnels, parades with traditional costumes, dance performances, and stalls with typical matsuri foods.
Mobara Tanabata Matsuri
Known for its traditional Yosakoi dances, this festival mixes tradition and youthful spirit. It is a great option for those who want to see a vibrant event outside the major centers.
Fussa Tanabata Matsuri
Focusing on the local community, the Fussa festival is more family-friendly and welcoming. The streets are filled with simple and colorful decorations, with activities for children and live shows in the matsuri style.
Hodachi Tanabata Kiriko Festival
Unlike other festivals, this one is marked by the Kiriko — giant lanterns carried in procession during the night. A combination of Tanabata with elements of fire and purification festivals, very common in the Noto Peninsula.
Noshiro Nebunagashi
Another night festival, famous for the illuminated boats that descend the river, creating a mystical visual. The spiritual connection of Tanabata here is felt strongly, with rituals by the water’s edge.
Ogori Tanabata Matsuri
This festival takes place around the famous Tanabata Jinja, a shrine dedicated to the legend of Orihime and Hikoboshi. Many couples and young people come to pray for success in love and life.
Anjo Tanabata Matsuri
Popular in central Japan, it combines parades, cultural performances, fireworks shows, and a creative Tanzaku contest. It is a favorite among families with children.
Yamaguchi Lantern Festival
One of the most visually striking Tanabata in Japan: the streets are filled with thousands of red lanterns, creating a sea of light. The atmosphere is more spiritual than festive.
Takaoka and Toede Festivals
These festivals are celebrated on different dates, but close to each other. The tradition focuses on local artisans, who create handmade decorations with extreme delicacy.
List of Tanabata Festivals
Now a complete list with the name of each festival in Japan, its location, and month. You can check the official website of each municipality to find details and the exact date of each festival.
| Festival | Name in Japanese | City/Province | Month |
| Mobara Festival | 茂原七夕まつり | Mobara, Chiba | July |
| Hodachi Tanabata Chirico Festival | 宝立七夕キリコ祭り | Hodachi-cho, Suzu, Ishikawa | August |
| Taira Festival | 平七夕まつり | Taira, Iwaki, Fukushima | August |
| Fussa Festival | 福生七夕まつり | Fussa, Tokyo | August |
| Oyama no Tanabata Nagare | 尾山の七夕流し | Oyama, Kurobe, Toyama | August |
| Hachinohe Tanabata Festival | 八戸七夕まつり | Hachinohe, Aomori | July |
| Noshiro Nebunagashi (Nodoka Festival) | 能代役七夕（能代ねぶながし） | Noshiro, Akita | August |
| Iruma River Tanabata Festival | 入間川七夕まつり | Sayama, Saitama | August |
| Tsuchiura Kirara Festival | 土浦キララまつり | Tsuchiura, Ibaraki | August |
| Oita Festival | 大分七夕まつり | Oita, Oita | August |
| Maebashi Festival | 前橋七夕まつり | Maebashi, Gunma | July |
| Sendai Festival | 仙台七夕まつり | Sendai, Miyagi | August |
| Morioka Festival | 盛岡七夕まつり | Morioka, Iwate | August |
| Shimizu Festival | 清水七夕まつり | Ala Shimizu, Shizuoka, Shizuoka | July |
| Water City Festival | 水都まつり | Ogaki, Gifu | August |
| Mito Kinmon Festival | 水戸黄門まつり | Mito, Ibaraki | August |
| Fukaya Festival | 深谷七夕まつり | Fukaya, Saitama | July |
| Kamifukuoka Festival | 上福岡七夕まつり | Kamifukuoka, Fujimino, Saitama | August |
| Shonan Hiratsuka Festival | 湘南ひらつか七夕まつり | Hiratsuka, Kanagawa | July |
| Matsusaka Festival | 松阪七夕まつり | Matsusaka, Mie | August |
| Ogawamachi Festival | 小川町七夕まつり | Ogawamachi, Saitama | July |
| Funami Festival | 舟見七夕まつり | Funami, Nyuzen, Toyama | July |
| Summer Festival of the Shrine | 七夕神社夏祭り | Ogori, Fukuoka | July |
| Lantern Painting Festival | 七夕絵どうろうまつり | Yuzawa, Akita | August |
| Tanabata Balloon Release | 七夕バルーンリリース | Tokushima, Tokushima | July |
| Yamaguchi Tanabata Lantern Festival | 山口七夕ちょうちんまつり | Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi | August |
| Miki-machi Ikenobe Tanabata Festival | 三木町いけのべ七夕まつり | Miki, Kagawa | August |
| Takaoka Tanabata Festival | 高岡七夕まつり | Takaoka, Toyama | August |
| Toede Tanabata Festival | 戸出七夕まつり | Toede-machi, Takaoka, Toyama | July |
| Furumachi Tanabata Festival | 古町七夕まつり | Furumachi, Chuo-ku, Niigata, Niigata | July |
| Keio University SFC Tanabata Festival | 慶應義塾大学SFC七夕祭 | Fujisawa, Kanagawa | July |
| Kiryu Yagi-bushi Festival | 桐生八木節まつり | Kiryu, Gunma | August |
| Hashimoto Festival | 橋本七夕まつり | Midori-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa | August |
| Osaka Shrine Tanabata Festival | 機物神社七夕まつり | Katano, Osaka | July |
| Tokyo Central Tanabata Festival | 下町七夕まつり | Taito Ward, Tokyo | July |
| Endoji Festival | 円頓寺七夕まつり | Nagoya, Aichi | July |
| Echigo-Murakami Festival | 越後村上七夕祭 | Murakami, Niigata | August |
| Ichinomiya Festival | 一宮七夕まつり | Ichinomiya, Aichi | July |
| Anjo Festival | 安城七夕まつり | Anjo, Aichi | August |
| Asaya Festival | 阿佐谷七夕まつり | Asaya, Suginami-ku, Tokyo | August |
| Seven Nettle Festival | けんか七夕まつり | Kesen-cho, Rikuzentakata, Iwate | August |
| Ugoku Tanabata Festival | うごく七夕まつり | Rikuzentakata, Iwate | August |
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