Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival Begins in Kanagawa Prefecture; Colorful Streamers Feature Current Trends

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:17 JST, July 4, 2025

People look at colorful decorations on Friday during the Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, as the festival, one of the most famous of its kind in Japan, kicks off.

The main venue, set up at the north exit of JR Hiratsuka Station, had a display of 103 spectacular decorations with streamers measuring more than 10 meters in length. The festival, which is being held for the 73rd time this year, is a summer tradition characterized by decorations that reflect current affairs. This year’s decorations feature such figures as Onosato, who reached the rank of yokozuna quicker than any other sumo wrestler. The festival will run through Sunday and is expected to attract about 1 million visitors.