Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival: Japan's Largest Star Festival

The Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival, held every summer in Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, is a summer tradition known throughout Japan as the representative Tanabata festival of the Kanto region. Along the main street of the city centre, about 100 lavishly ornate large bamboo decorations stand in a row, and colourful streamers and ingeniously crafted ornaments fill the space overhead. During the festival, large crowds of spectators come not only from the local area but from all over the country, bringing a splendid liveliness to summer in Shonan.

Japan's Largest Star Festival

Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival is a star festival held annually in July in Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa, one of the "Three Great Tanabata Festivals" in Japan alongside Sendai and Anjo (Aichi). About 3 million people visit during the festival, claiming the largest scale nationwide.

A Festival That Grew with Postwar Reconstruction

The Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival is said to have begun with the wish for recovery from the devastation of the Second World War, and with the aim of promoting the local shopping streets. Its scale expanded with each successive edition, and as participants competed over the lavishness and ingenuity of their decorations, it grew into the spectacular festival it is today. The large decorations produced by shopping streets and companies often reflect the topics, characters and social events of the year, so simply walking along and looking up gives you a feel for the mood of the times. It is a whole-town festival that has been protected and carried on by the hands of local people.

Magnificent Bamboo Decorations and Evening Illuminations

The greatest attraction of the festival is, above all, the bamboo decorations of all sizes that fill the streets. Some of the large decorations tower overhead, and their intricate forms and vivid colours are, in a word, overwhelming. When the sun goes down, lights come on in the decorations, and the atmosphere becomes dreamlike in a way quite different from the daytime. Around the main venue, numerous street stalls line up, and enjoying classic festival street food and local flavours is one of the great pleasures of the event. Stage events and parades are also held, and the whole town is wrapped in a festive mood.

Magnificent Tanabata decorations over 4m high and 10m wide stand throughout the city's shopping streets. Each shop competes to create beautiful decorations, with various creative designs of streamers and ornaments to enjoy.

Summer Tradition of Shonan

Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival is rooted in the region as a summer tradition of Shonan, a summer joy for local residents each year. Summer trips fully experiencing Shonan combined with Enoshima and Kamakura are popular.

Best Season and Access

The festival is normally held in early July, and the 75th edition is scheduled for three days from Friday 2 July to Sunday 4 July 2027 (Reiwa 9). The safest approach is to check the dates for each year in advance via official information from Hiratsuka City or the organisers. It becomes extremely crowded during the festival, so it is best to visit with plenty of time to spare. For access, the shopping-street venue is just a short walk from the north exit of Hiratsuka Station on the JR Tokaido Line, and access from central Tokyo is good as well. Since crowds are expected, using public transport is convenient. As the festival takes place in the heat of summer, be sure to drink plenty of fluids frequently and take precautions against heatstroke while you enjoy it.

Festival Practical Information (Based on the 2026 Edition)

• Dates and times: The 74th edition in 2026 was held from Friday 3 July to Sunday 5 July. On the 3rd and 4th it ran until 20:30, and on the 5th until 19:00. On the 3rd, the opening ceremony was held at 10:00 at Beniya-cho Machikado Hiroba, and from 10:30 the "Tanabata Odori Thousand-Person Parade" took place on the Shonan Star Mall.
• Venue: The city centre of Hiratsuka and various locations around the city. The "Shonan Star Mall" and "Beniya Pearl Road" at the north exit of Hiratsuka Station, and the area around Tokaido Hondori (Beniya-cho, Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture).
• Nearest station: 2 minutes' walk from the north exit of JR Hiratsuka Station (about 60 minutes from Tokyo on the JR Tokaido Line; about 65 minutes from Shinjuku on the JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line).
• Stalls and street vendors: Street stalls are set up along Tokaido Hondori (from the crossing in front of the OK Hiratsuka store to the crossing in front of the Machizukuri Foundation). Event booths are at Mitsukedai Park and the citizens' stage is at the Hirashin Hiratsuka Culture and Arts Hall, so the venues are separated in a layout that makes it easy to move around.
• Traffic restrictions: In 2026 these were in effect from Thursday 2 July to Sunday 5 July. A detailed map of the restrictions is published as a PDF on the Hiratsuka City official website.
• In case of rain: If the festival is cancelled due to severe weather immediately beforehand, this will be announced on the website.
• Enquiries: Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival Executive Committee (Hiratsuka City Commerce and Tourism Division) 0463-35-8107

*(Sources: Hiratsuka City official website; Kanagawa Prefecture "Feel SHONAN")*

Practical Information

• Period: Normally three days — Friday, Saturday and Sunday — in early July. The 74th edition in 2026 ran from 3 to 5 July, and the 75th edition in 2027 is scheduled for 2 to 4 July. Beyond that, Hiratsuka City has given advance notice of the 76th edition on 7-9 July 2028, the 77th on 6-8 July 2029, and the 78th on 5-7 July 2030.
• Hours: Until 20:30 on the first and second days, and until 19:00 on the final day (based on the 74th edition).
• Venue: The city centre and various locations around the city. The Tanabata decorations are on the Shonan Star Mall and Beniya Pearl Road, the events are at Mitsukedai Park and the Hirashin Hiratsuka Culture and Arts Hall, and the street stalls are on Tokaido Hondori — three separate areas in all.
• Number of Tanabata decorations: For the 74th edition, 80 on the Shonan Star Mall and 17 on Beniya Pearl Road among others, with about 100 large decorations in the shopping streets in front of the station.
• Access: 2 minutes' walk from the north exit of JR Hiratsuka Station. About 60 minutes from Tokyo Station on the JR Tokaido Main Line, about 65 minutes from Shinjuku Station on the JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line, and about 40 minutes by Kanachu bus from Hon-Atsugi Station on the Odakyu Line.
• Parking: No temporary car parks are opened. Please use the private car parks around the venue. For tour buses, the car park in front of the Hiratsuka Keirin Velodrome is available for a fee (5,000 yen per visit).
• Bicycle parking: Temporary bicycle parking is set up at Nishikicho Park and Akashicho Park.
• Traffic restrictions: The Shonan Star Mall and Beniya Pearl Road are closed to traffic all day from 20:00 the previous day (2 July for the 74th edition). Other areas of the festival are closed to traffic during set times. A detailed traffic restriction map is published as a PDF on the Hiratsuka City official website.
• In case of severe weather: If the festival is cancelled due to severe weather immediately beforehand, this will be announced on the official website. The opening event, the "Tanabata Odori Thousand-Person Parade", is cancelled in severe weather.
• Enquiries: Secretariat of the Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival Executive Committee (within the Hiratsuka City Commerce and Tourism Division) 0463-35-8107

*Large numbers of visitors gather over the three days, and the shopping streets in front of the station become extremely crowded. Allow plenty of time if you are moving with a pushchair or wheelchair. It is reassuring to decide on a meeting point in advance in case you become separated.*

*Guarding against heatstroke is the single biggest concern. Hiratsuka City is promoting measures such as installing mist fans under the name "Tanabata COOL", but hats, parasols and frequent replenishment of fluids and salt are down to each visitor. Do not push yourself under the blazing midday sun; viewing after the sun has begun to set is another option.*

*When eating at street stalls, choose items that have just been heated, and finish them promptly after purchase. Food spoils easily in summer, so avoid carrying it around with you. An initiative is in place under which each stallholder collects the rubbish.*

*As there are no temporary car parks, visitors are urged to come by public transport.*

*(Sources: Hiratsuka City official website "Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival"; Hiratsuka City press release "Outline of the 74th Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival Decided". As of July 2026)*