Tanabata E-Douro Festival in Yuzawa, Akita in 2025, a summer tradition that has continued for about 300 years

  • Akita
  • Sightseeing
The Tanabata Festival, held for three days from August 5 to 7 every year, is a summer tradition in Yuzawa City. The festival has a 300-year history dating back to the reign of Tokugawa Jisei, and the dozens of picture lanterns of various sizes that light up in unison in the evening are a sight to behold.

A traditional festival born from the nostalgic feelings of Mrs.

Ukiyoe beauty painting competition
The Tanabata Pictured Candle Festival in Yuzawa is said to have started in 1702, when the wife of Yoshiyasu Satake, the seventh head of the Satake Minami family of the Akita domain, was "invited" by the Takashi family, a lord of Kyoto, to entrust her nostalgic feelings for Kyoto on five-color strips of paper and decorate them on green bamboo. The style of the festival evolved over time, and in the Meiji period, lanterns were displayed under the eaves of houses, and in the Taisho and Showa periods, large picture lanterns were hung in all the towns in the Yuzawa area to compete in beauty.

Vividly colored painted paper lanterns float in the evening twilight

Tanabata Night
During this fantastic time, the lights in the shopping arcade are turned off and the lights of the picture lanterns float in the darkness of the night. The time between 7:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. during the festival period is an atmospheric event reminiscent of the Tanabata Festival in the days when there was still no electricity.


Miniature Picture Candles
During the festival, hundreds of large and small picture lanterns depicting Ukiyoe beauties are hung along the street. At dusk, all the picture candles are lit at once, turning the town into a nighttime castle. The color and elegance of this festival is unprecedented in Japan.
After the sun sets and the lights are turned on, the colorful painted candles that emerge in the evening darkness create a fantastic atmosphere. Carefully painted pictures of beautiful women and ukiyoe woodblock prints put visitors in a peaceful mood.
Various types of picture lanterns, ranging from small ones to four- to five-meter-wide ones that take several months to create, adorn the city. It takes more than one month to complete the process, which includes finding the subject matter, making preliminary sketches, applying ink patterns to the edges, and coloring. The picture lanterns are made by drawing pictures on Japanese paper and pasting them onto a wooden frame. Finally, it is covered with vinyl to prevent it from getting wet in the rain and tearing.

2025 Tanabata E-Doro Festival will be held!

In conjunction with the 2025 Yuzawa Tanabata E-Douro Festival, JR East will operate a special train (Tanabata E-Douro-go) between Yuzawa Station and Akita Station (one-way). The special train will run from Tuesday, August 5 to Thursday, August 7, and will depart from Yuzawa Station (20:41) and arrive at Akita Station (22:17). For more information on the event, please visit the official website of the Tanabata Eidoro Matsuri (Star Festival).

Combine your favorite train with lodging or a day trip plan for a great travel experience!

You can make your own original trip!

JR East View Dynamic Rail Package is a variable price individual travel product available only on the web. Depending on the timing and conditions of your application, you may be able to get a discount as early as the day of departure. We also offer one-day trip plans! Enjoy your own unique trip according to your schedule and purpose.
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