Itsukushima Shrine Tanabata Water Festival

Held on the month-delayed Tanabata of August 7 in the precincts of Itsukushima Shrine, the first shrine of old Kushiro Province, this is a Tanabata ritual. Visitors write wishes on paper strips, recite them three times and tie them to bamboo in the grounds. A signature touch is floating the strips on water to carry wishes to the heavens, fitting for the coastal, misty city of Kushiro, and a raffle is held on the day. At night, candles and a Milky Way-themed illumination cast a mystical glow over the precincts, making it a cherished local Tanabata event for families and couples to enjoy a cool summer evening.