In the summer of 2023—last summer, relative to when I’m writing this post—I attended both the Akita Kanto and Aomori Nebuta matsuri, which are two of the Tohoku region’s “three great festivals.” This idea was that in 2024—this summer—I’d do the third.
That idea became reality a few weeks ago when I did indeed make my way to Sendai for its own matsuri, thereby completing this triumvirate. The only problem? I remember speeding back to Tokyo on the Shinkansen feeling like something was off.
Without spoiling too much, I will say right off the bat that the Sendai Tanabata Matsuri is probably not what you’re expecting if you’ve been to the other two (or indeed, others elsewhere in Japan). What’s in question is how you use this fact.
Tanabata Was Always an Afterthought for Me
If I’d made a priority of attending the Sendai summer matsuri, I would’ve gone in 2023 as a follow up to the ones in Aomori and Akita. The reality is that while I’ve obviously always “wanted” to do Tanabata, it simply wasn’t high on my list. I speculated that the things I now know to be true about it—and I’ll get to those in just a second; thank you for your patience—were true.
If anything, I probably devoted too much time to the festival during my 2024 summer trip. I stayed two nights in Sendai, but apart from the fireworks one evening and a stroll through a shotengai the next morning, basically did nothing else—there was nothing else. It’s a good thing I like Sendai (I love Sendai, actually, more every time I go there), otherwise I might’ve felt disappointed.
Why Tanabata is Tohoku’s Strangest Matsuri
There’s no parade
When I think of matsuri, I think of parades. These are what draw together celebrations not only elsewhere in Tohoku, but also in Kyoto and Osaka, whose festivals are also among the best in Japan. Unfortunately, unless you count the unbroken procession walking down Aobi-dori on the night of August 5, there is no parade in Sendai.
(Though there are fireworks)
Of course, the aforementioned procession is directly related to the Sendai festival. They’re bound either for Nishi Park or for the ruins of Aoba Castle, both of which are great vantage points for the fantastic fireworks show that opens Tanabata every year.
It feels small compared to Sendai’s scale
Sendai is the largest city in Tohoku, and one of the largest cities in Japan. You’d think, then, that its biggest celebration of the year would be commensurately grand. Instead, I have to be honest: If I hadn’t been in Sendai this time explicitly for Tanabata, I likely wouldn’t have known that it was happening at all.
It also doesn’t feel very festive
Beyond the fireworks, to be sure, the only indication that Sendai Tanabata festival is taking place at all hangs within the city’s shotengai shopping arcades. Specifically, hundreds (maybe thousands) of kusudama balls with fukinagashi streamers dangling from them. They’re pretty, but simply don’t comprise a full-scale festival.
Akita’s and Aomori’s matsuri are better
I’ll be frank: The matsuri in Akita and Aomori are simply better than what you find in Sendai, by literally any measure, with the possible exception of hotel availability. In fact, I would even argue that matsuri in smaller Tohoku cities like Hachinohe and Goshogawara are more impressive.
Is the Sendai Tanabata Matsuri Worth Attending?
As I mentioned a few paragraphs up, I really like Sendai. In fact, it’s one of those places I think gets better every time you go back, no matter how many times you go back. Because of this—and because, frankly, I was convalescing after a very long flight—I wasn’t disappointed that such a small percentage of my overall time in the city involved anything related to Tanabata.
If I had another chance, and could change anything, I’d probably just incorporate Sendai Tanabata (and only the night of the fireworks) into a broader Tohoku matsuri itinerary, including not only Akita and Aomori, but also smaller festivals in Goshogawara and Hachinohe. Had I done this in 2023, I think I would’ve appreciated Tanabata more for what it was worth, and wouldn’t have such a harsh impression of it now.
Other FAQ About the Sendai Tanabata Matsuri
Why is Sendai Tanabata Matsuri celebrated?
Tanabata is a Japan-wide festival, which relates to an ancient Chinese fable about lovers separated by the Milky Way galaxy on all but one night of the year. In most of the rest of the country, this is a longer period of celebration; it is only in Sendai where is functions (at least ostensibly) as a standalone matsuri.
What is the Tanabata summer festival?
Across Japan, Tanabata is a celebratory summer period in Japan which, along with the Obon holiday, sees several matsuri or festivals take place throughout the country. Among these it’s Sendai’s Tanabata festival, which shares a name with the broader one but isn’t the same thing.
What do you wear on Tanabata?
Many people wear yukata or happi (which is basically just a jacket-length version of a yukata) during, or sometimes even a full kimono with geta sandals. Some will add an animal mask to this ensemble to add even more intrigue. Of course, it’s perfectly fine to wear “normal” clothes, if that’s what makes you feel comfortable. During Japan’s summer matsuri, almost anything goes.
The Bottom Line
The Sendai Tanabata Matsuri is not like most of the other big summer festivals in Japan. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, of course. There’s less happening, but also less pressure to try to see all of it. Practically speaking, Sendai is also an easier city to take part in such an event, given that it has many more hotel rooms than either Akita or Aomori. At the same time, there are many other matsuri in Tohoku more deserving of your time, even if they’re not technically among the “three great” ones. Hire me to plan your trip if you want personalized expert insights into how best to spend your time in Japan.
