“Sendai Star Festival” (Tanabata Matsuri) is Japan’s largest Tanabata Festival held every year from August 6th to 8th in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. This is a traditional festival that has been going on for more than 400 years since the time of Sendai great founder Masamune Date, and is said to be the originator of the Tanabata festival held all over the country.
During the period, gorgeous Tanabata decorations fill Sendai city and the city is gorgeously colored. Every year, more than 2 million visitors come from Japan and abroad to enjoy gorgeous decorations, events, and Sendai foods.
The Sendai Tanabata Fireworks Festival is also held the night before the Sendai Tanabata Festival.
The biggest highlight of the Sendai Tanabata Festival is the gorgeous Tanabata decoration that is displayed so as to fall from the sky. The appearance of colorful strips and windsocks that overlap in the wind is pretty and beautiful.
The Sendai Tanabata Festival Square is set up at the Kotodai Park in front of the Sendai City Hall, where various stage events are held. At the “Star Stage” you can see the performances and music shows of the Date warlords, and at “Let’s Dance Street” you can enjoy street performances, picture-story shows and Tanabata dance at night.
During the Sendai Tanabata Festival, 1200 bamboo lanterns are lit on the approach and grounds of the Mausoleum “Zuihoden” by Masamune Date at night, and the main shrine and the gates are lit up. It is colored with fantastic illumination. You can also enjoy various events such as shinobue flute performances and forest concerts.
The forerunner of the Japanese Star Festival
In the famous festivals of Tohoku region, excitement of the Nebuta Festival in Aomori, Kanto Matsuri (Lantern Festival) in Akita, Hanagasa in Yamagata, etc. are all highlights. But the Sendai Star Festival (Tanabata Matsuri) is a quiet festival where you can watch Tanabata decorations full of streets.
At Sendai Star Festival, a large Tanabata ornament made of Japanese paper colors the city of Sendai. It is a festival with a history that has been held since the early Edo period. It is held from August 6 to 8 every year. Tourists visit from around Japan and from around the world trying to see gorgeous Tanabata ornament. It is said that the number is 2 million people.
Do you know the event of Tanabata?
It is based on the old story of China.
When Hiko-hoshi(Altair) met Orihime-hoshi(Vega), they were attracted each other, then they have fallen love. After that they didn’t work and a disease has spread over the cow. The Lord of Heaven got angry with them, and separated them by the Milky Way. However, the Lord of Heaven felt pity for them. And he allowed them to meet only on the night of July 7th.
On the day of Tanabata Festival, Japanese people display bamboo grass with a strip of paper and ornaments to celebrate their reunion. When we write a wish to this paper and display it on bamboo, it is said that a wish comes true.
Sendai Tanabata Matsuri is one of “the Tohoku three great festival” and as to be said it is the best Star Festival in Japan. It is held from August 6 to 8 every year. The central site for the Sendai Star Festival is an arcade town around JR Sendai Station. The large-scale decoration is done in the arcade street called Ichibancho and Chuo-dori.
In addition, approximately 3,000 Star Festival decorations are attached to the various places throughout the city, and downtown becomes all in the Star Festival.
And approximately 16,000 fireworks will light up the summer night sky near Sendai west park. You can spend a romantic day on the grand Sendai Tanabata Matsuri.
Information(Access, Price/Charge, Tel, Address, Official site, etc.)
| Name: | Sendai Tanabata Matsuri (Star Festival) |
| Adresse: | Chuo 1-7-2, Aobaku Sendai-city, Miyagi 980-0021 Japan |
| Access: | JR Tohoku Shinkansen line "Sendai-eki Station” (2 minutes walk) |
| Tel: | (+81) 22-265-8185 (Sendai Tanabata Festival Support Association) |
| Price/Charge: | Free |
| Official site: | http://www.sendaitanabata.com/ |
Leave a Reply