Mitaka City

Please Join the Traditional Tanabata Festival

Tanabata is a traditional Japanese festival. It is said that by writing wishes on strips of paper that comes in five colors and hanging them on a small bamboo tree, wishes come true and penmanship improves.
The Mitaka Picture Book House in the Astronomical Observatory Forest, which celebrated its 10th anniversary on July 7, hosts a Tanabata Festival where you can write your wishes on these strips of paper, tie them to bamboo, and then place the bamboo on a bonfire so your wishes reach the skies. At night, there will be a jazz concert and the opportunity to observe the starlit sky led by a staff member of the National Astronomical Observatory. (In the case of rain, the night program will be canceled.)
Since stars can rarely be seen on Tanabata Day of the modern calendar (July 7) due to the rainy season, at the Mitaka Picture Book House in the Astronomical Observatory Forest, the annual festival is held at a more “traditional” time according to the lunar calendar (August 7 this year). Don’t miss this opportunity to experience “traditional” Tanabata at this time of year when the Milky Way can be seen clearly.

Date and time: August 4 (Sun.), 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. (regular hours: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
Location: The facility (inside the National Astronomical Observatory, 2-21-3 Osawa)
Application: Come to the venue directly.

Inquiries: The facility, Tel: 0422-39-3401, URL: http://www.city.mitaka.tokyo.jp/ehon

A scene from placing the bamboo on a bonfire

 

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Mitaka Municipal Office 1-1-1, Nozaki, Mitaka City, 181-8555, Tokyo Tel: 0422-45-1151(Main Switchboard) How to Get Mitaka Municipal Office

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