Shimobun Tanabata Decorations

A community-made Tanabata decoration event held for over 20 years in the Shimobun district of Kamiyama, Tokushima. In front of the Shimobun Community Center stands a massive bundle of bamboo about 25 meters long, with colorful streamers and tanzaku strips swaying in the riverside evening breeze. Throughout the period the display is lit up daily from dusk until around 10 p.m., creating a magical scene in the mountain valley. On certain days there are stage events such as marching bands and Awa Odori dance, drawing residents and visitors alike. Started to enliven a depopulating rural area with Tanabata lights, it is now a signature summer tradition of Kamiyama.