The summer 'must do' list: a Tanabata Festival

Tanabata Matsuri or the Star Festival is celebrated either on or near July 7th OR August 8th. The date varies not by prefecture, but by area. In my own prefecture of Saitama even within a city a neighborhood or the precincts of a shrine, the dates can be different. My own family chose when to celebrate the Star Festival based on weather! August is way too hot for us and most often we are back in Ireland, so we celebrate on July 7th. 

>>An explanation of Tanabata aka the Star Festival. 

Normally July 7th is still not too hot or humid. However, this year, July 7th was much hotter than usual. It was 40 degrees Celsius in my area of Saitama. We had planned to go to the Fukaya Tanabata Festival, but I knew we wouldn't be able for the heat so we had to skip it this year. Thankfully, there was another Tanabata Festival this past weekend and in an area closer to home. Moreover, it was uncharacteristically cool with temperatures of around 25 degrees. It was a much smaller Tanabata Festival than the one in Fukaya, but it actually turned out ideal for my two younger children. Especially the youngest who isn't great with noisy crowds. 

At the larger Tanabata Festivals the hanging decorations are amazing. But at this one in Sakado City, the hanging decorations were quite basic and, frankly, looked cheap and homemade. Still, the atmosphere was brilliant and I am just grateful that we got to cross "Tanabata Festival" off our list of must do summer activities / events!

Have you been to a Tanabata Festival before? If you would like to go to one this year, there are several large Tanabata Festivals coming up at the end of July and early August. Such as the Sendai Tanabata Festival (Tochigi) and the Irumagawa Tanabata Festival (Saitama).