Shimizu Tanabata Festival

About This Event

Arcades lined with huge, elaborately handmade bamboo decorations

Staged across the Shimizu Ekimae Ginza, Shimizu Ginza, and Chuo Ginza shopping arcades in Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka City, this is one of the Tokai region's most historic Tanabata festivals, held since 1953. The 72nd edition runs four days from July 2 to 5, 2026. Its main draw is the large handmade bamboo decorations crafted by each shopping street and business, with colorful streamers and themed displays filling the arcades to overwhelm visitors. A decoration contest and judging take place during the festival, along with stage events, parades, and numerous stalls. Said to have begun as a wish for postwar recovery, it remains a beloved major summer event for local residents.