Iwate Pref. City Filled with Excitement During Tanabata Festivals; Floats Displayed For the 1st Time in 15 Years

By Kotaro Hirose, Makiko Mishina / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

17:51 JST, August 8, 2025

RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate — Decorated and illuminated floats made their appearance at two Tanabata festivals in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, on Thursday, filling the city with excitement.

Believed to have started over 900 years ago, the Kenka Tanabata festival in the city’s Kesencho district has been designated as an Iwate prefectural intangible folk cultural property. Kenka means fighting, and during the festival, participants compete by using an about 15-meter-long cedar log, which is attached to the float, to ram the other float.

Visitors cheered as the fighting began with the sound of floats colliding with each other.

“The number of organizers has been decreasing every year, but we told ourselves we would definitely hold the festival again this year as we prepared for it,” said Fujio Sasaki, chairperson of a local association to preserve the festival. “I am so glad that many people enjoyed it.”

After sunset, the floats from each area gathered for the Ugoku Tanabata festival, or moving festival, in the Takatacho district of the city. Locals pulled the glittering floats amid energetic cries of “Yoi ya sa” and the sound of traditional Japanese flutes and drum.

Before the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, the floats were usually displayed following the festival. However, that stopped after the quake.

This year, the city and an organizing committee decided to resume the display for the first time in 15 years. Three floats will be shown to the public until Aug. 15 at the parking lot of a commercial complex in the city.

Seitoku Iwai, who led one of groups that pulled a float, said: “I’m happy the floats will be displayed after such a long time. While the earthquake has left local communities scattered, I want those coming back for the Bon holidays to enjoy the floats.”