Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival

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Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival

A festival that fills the city with colorful Tanabata decorations and offers thanks to the god of textiles.

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Held in Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture, long known for its thriving textile industry, this event is recognized as one of Japan’s leading Tanabata festivals. It is held as a Tanabata event associated with Hikoboshi and Orihime, who have deep ties to textiles, to pray for the prosperity of the textile industry. The venues include Masumida Shrine, the ichinomiya of Owari Province, the area around Ichinomiya Station, Ginza Street, and the Honmachi shopping street, and it attracts Approx. 1 million visitors every year.

The festival is held over four days, ending on the last Sunday of July. Traditional streamers and original Tanabata decorations line the shopping arcade, streets, and other areas, creating a festive atmosphere. On the Honmachi shopping street, the Goi Hoken Daigoretsu parade is held, in which locally produced woolen textiles are dedicated to Hatori Shrine, an auxiliary shrine of Masumida Shrine that enshrines the god of textiles.

During the festival, a wide range of events are held, including a Bon dance festival, a dance contest, and a cosplay parade. Many food stalls line Masumida Shrine and the festival food stall area, and the whole city stays lively into the night.

Highlights

  • A Tanabata festival in Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture, known as one of Japan’s leading Tanabata festivals.
  • Held during Tanabata in honor of Hikoboshi and Orihime, who are closely connected to textiles, to pray for the prosperity of the textile industry.
  • Events include the Goi Hoken Daigoretsu parade, in which locally produced woolen textiles are dedicated.
  • The shopping arcade is lined with many colorful Tanabata decorations.
  • Various events are held during the festival at Owari-Ichinomiya Station Building (i-Building), the Honmachi shopping street, Ginza Street, and other locations.

Photos

  • A festival giving thanks to the deity of textiles enshrined at Masumida Shrine

    A festival giving thanks to the deity of textiles enshrined at Masumida Shrine

  • The Tanabata decorations in the shopping arcade are also a must-see

    The Tanabata decorations in the shopping arcade are also a must-see

  • During the festival, the city stays lively until night with a variety of events

    During the festival, the city stays lively until night with a variety of events

Reviews

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    Masumida Shrine was a last-minute addition to this trip, and I ended up visiting it unexpectedly. After actually going there, I thought it was well worth the visit. The grounds have a sacred pond, a vermilion Good Fortune Bridge, and Hachiryu Shrine. The overall scenery is a little different from shrines where you only visit the main hall, and there are quite a few places to take photos.
    You can collect sacred water at the Shinsuisha, so if you want to drink some, remember to bring a bottle. There is also a row of red torii gates in front of Tomishima Inari Daimyojin. Although it isn't on the same scale as the seemingly endless thousand torii gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, it still looks beautiful in photos. Since this place is a little out of the way, most tourists don't come here, so it wasn't crowded when I visited and was pleasant to walk around. About 30 minutes to an hour should be enough.
    Another thing I found interesting is its deep connection to Ichinomiya City's textile culture. Hatori Shrine on the grounds enshrines deities associated with textiles, and the Tanabata Festival held in Ichinomiya City every summer is also connected to the local wool textile industry and the worship of Orihime. The Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival is considered one of Japan's three major Tanabata festivals, alongside those in Sendai and Hiratsuka, which made me want to find an opportunity to come back during Tanabata.
    The wool textile industry is also connected to Nagoya's breakfast ("morning service") culture. In the past, textile merchants often used coffee shops for business discussions, and the shops gradually began serving coffee with simple meals. This later spread throughout Nagoya and became a local specialty.
    If I get the chance to come during Tanabata, I'll probably set aside a full day to really experience the local character of the area. I tried to fit a little too much into this trip, so I didn't leave enough time here, which was a bit of a shame.

Details

Name in Japanese
おりもの感謝祭一宮七夕まつり
Postal Code
491-0858
Venue
Honmachi and other areas, Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture
Phone
0586-28-9131 (Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival Executive Committee Secretariat, Tourism Exchange Division, Department of Vitality Creation, Ichinomiya City)
Date
Four days ending on the last Sunday of July
Access
Directly accessible from JR Tokaido Main Line Owari-Ichinomiya Station and Meitetsu Ichinomiya Station
Official website
Official website (Japanese)
Hokkaido Tohoku Kanto Chubu Hokuriku Kansai Chugoku Shikoku Kyushu Okinawa