Home > MIYAGI 宮城県 > Sendai 仙台市 > Sendai Tanabata Matsuri Festival 2009 仙台七夕まつり

st100-20090806_1746.jpg
Held annually during Aug. 6-8, the Sendai Tanabata Matsuri is Japan's largest, grandest, and most famous Tanabata Festival. Commonly called the Star Festival, Tanabata Matsuri features large colorful, streamer decorations (called take-kazari).
st101-20090804_9208.jpg
I arrived in Sendai on Aug. 4, 2009, two days before the festival, and Sendai Station here was already decorated with these huge tanabata streamers. Very impressive.
st102-20090804_9212.jpg
Many of the Tanabata streamers are quite commercial, with sponsors prominently displayed on the streamers.
st103-20090804_9215.jpg
Inside Sendai Station's west side. A great greeting for visitors to Sendai during Tanabata Matsuri.
st104-20090804_9187.jpg
The festival is said to have originated from a Star Festival in China. According to Chinese legend, east of the Milky Way there was a Heavenly King whose daughter worked as a weaver. However, when she married a herdsman, she quit weaving.
st105-20090804_9191.jpg
This angered her father who banished the herdsman to the other side of the Milky Way. He allowed the two to meet only once a year on the evening of the seventh day of the seventh month (according to the lunar calendar).
st106-20090804_9201.jpg
The weaver is represented by the Vega star and the herdsman by the Altair star. As a prayer to produce better arts and crafts, the Imperial Court and the warrior class paid homage to these two stars from ancient times. This practice spread to the masses.
st107-20090804_9219.jpg
In Sendai, famous daimyo Date Masamune had the warrior and merchant classes observe the Star Festival.
st108-20090804_9204.jpg
During the Tohoku Industrial Expo in 1928, the forerunner of today's Tanabata Festival was held. Sendai merchants strived to uphold the tradition, resulting in today's elaborate and gaudy Tanabata decorations.
st109-20090804_9188.jpg
According to the legend, the original date of Tanabata is July 7 according to the lunar calendar which is about a month behind the calendar we use today. Some places hold the festival on July 7 to match the original, numeric date.
st110-20090804_9207.jpg
You can see Tanabata in various locations (smaller scale) in Japan such as Hiratsuka in Kanagawa held around July 7 and Asagaya and Fussa in Tokyo around Aug. 7.
st111-20090806_1744.jpg
Inside Sendai Station is a large information booth where you can obtain maps and pamphlets of Sendai and Tanabata Matsuri.
st112-20090804_9184.jpg
Tanabata decorations at the entrance of Sendai Station.
st113-20090804_9148.jpg
It rained sometimes during the Tanabata Festival since the Tohoku region was still in the rainy season.
st114-20090804_9149.jpg
Tanabata decorations outside S-PAL, a shopping complex next to Sendai Station.
st115-20090804_9161.jpg
The pedestrian overpass connected to Sendai Station is also decorated.
st116-20090804_9254.jpg
On Aug. 4, two days before the start of Tanabata Festival, the shopping arcades already had these bamboo poles with ropes set up.
st117-20090804_9259.jpg
Pieces of bamboo hung from the ropes on bamboo poles.
st118-20090804_9296.jpg
Sendai's shopping arcades were obviously designed for tanabata decorations. There are eyelets or hooks for ropes on the ceiling.
st119-20090804_9327.jpg
The walls also have eyelets/hooks for ropes to support the bamboo poles.
st120-20090804_9297.jpg
This large tanabata bamboo was being set up on Aug. 4.
st121-20090804_9276.jpg
Drilling
st122-20090804_9343.jpg
Attaching ropes. The decorations will later be attached to these ropes.
st123-20090804_9353.jpg
Hoisting up the bamboo support pole.
st124-20090805_0847.jpg
On the evening of Aug. 5, the Tanabata Festival Eve, a fireworks display is held at Nishi Koen Park. Here are many girls in yukata waiting for friends at Sendai Station to see the fireworks.
st125-20090805_0911.jpg
Nishi Park in Sendai is full of people on fireworks night.
st126-20090805_0914.jpg
st127-20090805_0973.jpg
This road was filled with people as well for the fireworks.
st128-20090805_0982.jpg
Also see my YouTube video here.
st129-20090805_0950.jpg
Sendai Tanabata Fireworks on Aug. 5, 7:30 pm to 9 pm. It was impressive. The theme was "Ring of Love."
st130-20090806_1175.jpg
On the morning of Aug. 6, the first day of Sendai Tanabata, shop owners started to set up their tanabata bamboo decorations from around 8 am to 9 am.
st131-20090806_1002.jpg
One bamboo pole has several decorations and each one hangs on a rope.
st132-20090806_1031.jpg
Setting up Tanabata bamboo decorations.
st133-20090806_1048.jpg
st134-20090806_1027.jpg
This decoration had little owl-shaped paper balloons. These girls are blowing air into the balloons with a straw. Sendai Tanabata.
st135-20090806_1044.jpg
Attaching the ball to the body of the decoration.
st136-20090806_1014.jpg
The decorations usually arrive in huge plastic bags, especially the outdoor ones. This is the Fujisaki decoration.
st137-20090806_1053.jpg
When the decorations are unpacked or unraveled, they are freshened up.
st138-20090806_1061.jpg
These people are spreading the wings of the origami cranes.
st139-20090806_1080.jpg
st140-20090806_1100.jpg
The decorations can cost thousands of dollars or even tens of thousands of dollars (US$). (Hundreds of thousands of yen or a few million yen.)
st141-20090806_1139.jpg
After the festival ends, many of these decorations are discarded. But some are donated to a shopping arcade in Fukuoka (Kyushu).
st142-20090806_1150.jpg
Many decorations are really advertisements. But others have no ads and they are splendid. Keep in mind that the Tanabata Festival was started by local merchants, so it has commercial roots. It's not a religious event.
st143-20090806_1194.jpg
Tanabata Matsuri is held in many parts of Japan, usually in shopping arcades to draw customers. The more famous ones are in Hiratsuka in Kanagawa and Asagaya in Tokyo.
st143a-sendaitanabata1.youtube
My YouTube video of Sendai Tanabata featuring Tanabata decorations and seeing the evening entertainment (Awa Odori, Tanabata dancers, etc.) on Jozenji-dori during 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.
st144-20090806_1394.jpg
By 10 am on the first day of Aug. 6, most all of the Tanabata decorations were set up. Large crowds soon followed.
st145-20090806_1397.jpg
The shopping arcades on the west side of Sendai Station is where the Tanabata decorations are. The main arcades where you can see the streamers are basically on two arcade roads: Chuo-dori and Ichibancho-dori. They intersect at a T-intersection.
st146-20090806_1398.jpg
The Chuo-dori arcade is about 750 meters long. Although this arcade is a straight and continuous road, it is actually consists of three seamless arcades named Hapina Nakakecho (ハピナ名掛丁), Clis Road, and Marble Road Omachi.
st147-20090806_1401.jpg
This is the Hapina Nakakecho arcade. "Hapina" stands for "Heartful Amenity Place Interfaced Natural Arcade." It also refers to "happy." When the Japanese create a new name, they love puns.
st148-20090806_1403.jpg
This was my second time to see Sendai Tanabata. The first time was quite some time ago. I had high expectations, and I was not disappointed.
st149-20090806_1404.jpg
The take-kazari bamboo decorations were marvelous. A myriad of designs and variety. Paper was the main material used to make all these decorations, unlike the predominant plastic found at other Tamabata Festivals in Japan.
st150-20090806_1412.jpg
These decorations cannot be massed produced, all one of a kind.
st151-20090806_1414.jpg
Also see my YouTube video here.
st152-20090806_1215.jpg
During the morning of Aug. 6 the first day, a team of judges wearing a white cap and yellow shirt proceed through the decorations for judging. Dressed in pink is the back is one of the three Sendai Goodwill Ambassadors (not Miss Tanabata).
st153-20090806_1465.jpg
The decorations are given awards such as the Gold and Silver Awards. The winners are announced later in the day, and the winning decorations are tagged with the awards. This is the Gold Award.
st154-20090807_2390.jpg
Silver Award. Besides awards for individual decorations, awards are given to the shopping arcade as a whole for the bext decorations.
st155-20090807_2445.jpg
Extravagant Award
st156-20090807_2362.jpg
This one was clearly a crowd favorite, and not surprisingly, it won the Outstanding Award.
st157-20090807_2370.jpg
It's nearly impossible to define or describe an outstanding decoration, but you know it when you see it.
st158-20090807_2372.jpg
st159-20090807_2376.jpg
Gold Award + Outstanding Award.
st160-20090807_2456.jpg
The crowd take pictures in front of this Outstanding Award decoration.
st161-20090807_2365.jpg
Closeups of one of the best take-kazari of 2009.
st162-20090807_2369.jpg
st163-20090807_2368.jpg
st164-20090806_1461.jpg
Many girls (and kids) dressed in yukata (cotton kimono) came to see the Tanabata Festival. Her facial reaction was typical.
st165-20090806_1612.jpg
The streamers can also be quite hypnotizing if not captivating.
st166-20090806_1225.jpg
People who wear yukata know how to enjoy each of Japan's seasons.
st167-20090806_1573.jpg
st168-20090806_1495.jpg
st169-20090806_1686.jpg
The yukata has become quite modern. You no longer have to put your hair up when wearing one.
st170-20090806_1721.jpg
Eye-catching trio of yukata-clad girls.
st171-20090806_1716.jpg
st172-20090806_1760.jpg
Kids loved to jump and try to touch the streamers.
st173-20090806_1589.jpg
st174-20090806_1437.jpg
st175-20090806_1766.jpg
st176-20090807_2433.jpg
Tanabata appeals to all ages, from little kids to grandmothers.
st177-20090807_2444.jpg
st178-20090806_1614.jpg
st179-20090806_1631.jpg
Interview by local TV.
st180-20090807_2248.jpg
Another crowd favorite was these streamers made of tiny origami paper cranes.
st181-20090807_2249.jpg
This was the 34th Tanabata Decoration of Peace. Aug. 6, the first day of the Sendai Tanabata Matsuri, also happens to be the anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bombing.
st182-20090807_2246.jpg
It says "No More Hiroshima."
st183-20090807_2251.jpg
Tiny origami paper cranes. Guess how many paper cranes there are? Over 1 million.
st184-20090807_2242.jpg
Peace message.
st185-20090807_2241.jpg
Organizations who made the 1 million+ paper cranes. About 25,000 people from all over Japan from age 5 to 103 made over 1 million paper cranes. That's an average of 40 cranes per person.
st186-20090807_2253.jpg
Bottom of the paper cranes.
st187-20090807_2252.jpg
People were amazed at these cranes. This is one type of streamer you won't see at other Tanabata Festivals in Japan.
st188-20090806_1794.jpg
st189-20090806_1210.jpg
st190-20090807_2434.jpg
Origami paper cranes is actually one type of Tanabata decorations. Many decorations had paper cranes as you can see here.
st191-20090806_1580.jpg
Origami paper cranes.
st192-20090807_2342.jpg
st194-20090807_2343.jpg
st195-20090807_2358.jpg
Regular-size paper cranes.
st196-20090806_1438.jpg
Hapina arcade
st197-20090806_1416.jpg
st198-20090806_1423.jpg
st199-20090806_1457.jpg
st200-20090806_1497.jpg
st201-20090806_1499.jpg
st202-20090806_1500.jpg
st203-20090806_1501.jpg
st204-20090806_1475.jpg
st205-20090806_1476.jpg
st206-20090806_1513.jpg
st207-20090806_1503.jpg
st208-20090806_1517.jpg
st209-20090806_1519.jpg
Puppets
st210-20090806_1527.jpg
Ichiban-cho Yon-chome arcade is outdoors.
st211-20090806_1539.jpg
st212-20090806_1551.jpg
st213-20090806_1554.jpg
Write your wish on a paper tag and affix it to the bamboo branch.
st214-20090806_1591.jpg
Kids writing their wishes.
st215-20090806_1556.jpg
Perhaps she wished for a rich husband.
st216-20090806_1564.jpg
st217-20090806_1567.jpg
st218-20090806_1615.jpg
st219-20090806_1625.jpg
Fujisaki's decoration is at the T-intersection between Chuo-dori and Ichibancho-dori.
st220-20090806_1634.jpg
This is Sun Mall Ichibancho. This Ichibancho-dori road is also straight, but consists of three seamless shopping arcades: Sun Mall Ichibancho, Brand Dome Ichibancho, and Ichibancho Yon-chome.
st221-20090806_1638.jpg
Sun Mall Ichibancho
st222-20090806_1651.jpg
st223-20090806_1652.jpg
st224-20090806_1655.jpg
Koi fish made of tiny balls stuck onto the paper.
st225-20090806_1661.jpg
In Sun Mall Ichibancho, a traditional kami-shibai picture card story was told.
st226-20090804_9308.jpg
Also here is a cramped enclave of many little bars and shops.
st227-20090804_9310.jpg
st228-20090806_1678.jpg
Sun Mall
st229-20090806_1670.jpg
st230-20090806_1679.jpg
st231-20090807_2430.jpg
Types of tanabata decorations.
st232-20090806_1681.jpg
st233-20090806_1685.jpg
st234-20090806_1683.jpg
st235-20090806_1684.jpg
st236-20090806_1751.jpg
Back to Hapina arcade
st237-20090806_1752.jpg
st238-20090806_1757.jpg
st239-20090806_1761.jpg
st240-20090807_2458.jpg
st241-20090806_1769.jpg
st242-20090806_1774.jpg
st243-20090806_1775.jpg
st244-20090806_1780.jpg
st245-20090806_1781.jpg
st246-20090806_1783.jpg
st247-20090807_2449.jpg
st248-20090806_1800.jpg
Travel photos (Matsushima)
st249-20090807_2232.jpg
Matsushima photos
st250-20090806_1782.jpg
For people outside Japan wanting to make tanabata decorations for a Japan event, let these photos give you some design ideas.
st251-20090806_1787.jpg
st252-20090806_1788.jpg
Calligraphy brushes even.
st253-20090806_1809.jpg
st254-20090806_1810.jpg
st255-20090806_1811.jpg
st256-20090807_2279.jpg
st257-20090806_1803.jpg
Date Masamune
st258-20090806_1817.jpg
Marble Road Omachi
st259-20090806_1822.jpg
No smoking in the shopping arcades.
st260-20090806_1827.jpg
st261-20090806_1830.jpg
st262-20090806_1843.jpg
st263-20090807_2395.jpg
st264-20090807_2397.jpg
st265-20090807_2389.jpg
st266-20090807_2286.jpg
st267-20090807_2229.jpg
st268-20090806_2192.jpg
At night.
st269-20090806_2181.jpg
st270-20090806_2185.jpg
st271-20090806_2190.jpg
At around 9 pm, the tanabata decorations are put in plastic bags or hung high so drunkards cannot reach and damage them.
st272-20090807_2204.jpg
In the early morning, the tanabata decorations still hang high up.
st273-20090807_2208.jpg
st274-20090807_2209.jpg
st275-20090807_2234.jpg
Later in the morning at around 9 am, these decorations will be hung normally again.
st276-20090807_2227.jpg
st277-20090807_2222.jpg
st278-20090807_2240.jpg
st279-20090807_2263.jpg
st280-20090807_2276.jpg
st281-20090807_2271.jpg
st282-20090807_2274.jpg
st283-20090807_2290.jpg
st284-20090807_2266.jpg
st285-20090807_2267.jpg
st287-20090807_2277.jpg
Photos of sushi on a sushi shop's decoration.
st288-20090807_2298.jpg
Male lover in heaven
st289-20090807_2297.jpg
Female lover in heaven
st290-20090807_2317.jpg
Bottom view
st291-20090807_2306.jpg
st292-20090807_2318.jpg
st293-20090807_2301.jpg
st294-20090807_2299.jpg
st295-20090807_2292.jpg
st296-20090807_2323.jpg
st297-20090807_2334.jpg
st298-20090806_1433.jpg
st299-20090807_2337.jpg
st300-20090807_2354.jpg
st301-20090807_2355.jpg
International decoration
st302-20090807_2347.jpg
International decoration
st303-20090807_2359.jpg
Slinky
st304-20090807_2391.jpg
st305-20090807_2393.jpg
st306-20090807_2394.jpg
st307-20090807_2345.jpg
st308-20090807_2421.jpg
st309-20090807_2420.jpg
North Korean abductee, Megumi
st310-20090806_1868.jpg
There is no longer a Tanabata Parade in the evening. Instead of a parade, there are various performances at several areas on the main street of Jozenji-dori during 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm every evening during Aug. 6-8.
st311-20090806_1872.jpg
Milky Way streamers decorated the road.
st312-20090806_1878.jpg
Where I was, Tokushima Awa Odori dancers performed first.
st313-20090806_1880.jpg
Tokushima Awa Odori dancers at Sendai Tanabata Matsuri Festival.
st314-20090806_1881.jpg
st315-20090806_1885.jpg
Also see my YouTube video here.
st316-20090806_1887.jpg
st317-20090806_1893.jpg
st318-20090806_1899.jpg
A few local high school bands also played.
st319-20090806_1900.jpg
There was also a ballet play featuring the herdsman and weaver who meet in the heavens on July 7.
st320-20090806_1902.jpg
The Orihime weaver.
st321-20090806_1908.jpg
The herdsman and weaver meet in the Milky Way.
st322-20090806_1911.jpg
More performers.
st323-20090806_1914.jpg
Local cheerleaders
st324-20090806_1920.jpg
st325-20090806_1926.jpg
Folk dancers for Tanabata Odori
st326-20090806_1933.jpg
Taiko drummers
st327-20090806_1949.jpg
This was the main performance area on Jozenji-dori.
st328-20090806_1942.jpg
Taiko drummers
st328a-sendaitanabata3.youtube
My YouTube video of Sendai Tanabata featuring the festival eve on Aug. 5, 2009 when they had fireworks and the morning of Aug. 6 when they were setting up the Tanabata decorations.
st329-20090806_1974.jpg
A short walk from Jozenji-dori is the Shimin Hiroba (Citizens' Square) where there was a stage for more entertaining performances by numerous groups. The program started at 6 pm and ended at 8:45 pm.
st330-20090806_2000.jpg
Different performances are given every evening during the Tanabata Matsuri. If you want good seats, go there early. Otherwise, it's standing room only.
st331-20090806_2005.jpg
Hip hop
st332-20090806_2012.jpg
st333-20090806_2025.jpg
I like these American-style costumes.
st334-20090806_2035.jpg
st335-20090806_2053.jpg
st336-20090806_2058.jpg
st337-20090806_2059.jpg
st338-20090806_2069.jpg
st339-20090806_2073.jpg
st340-20090806_2081.jpg
st341-20090806_2103.jpg
Local cheerleaders were great.
st342-20090806_2105.jpg
st343-20090806_2116.jpg
st344-20090806_2120.jpg
st345-20090806_2123.jpg
Local cheerleaders included these kids.
st346-20090806_2135.jpg
st347-20090806_2145.jpg
st348-20090806_2162.jpg
Korean performers.
st349-20090806_2167.jpg
Hip hop
st350-20090806_2178.jpg
In the Shimin Hiroba was also this space.
st351-20090806_2177.jpg
You could write a wish on the paper and hang it on the bamboo branch. I wrote "Live long and prosper."
252 files on 1 page(s)