Tanabata, Japan's beloved Star Festival, falls on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 across most of the country. Watch the time tick down on our live Tanabata countdown.
When is Tanabata 2026?
Most of Japan celebrates Tanabata on July 7 every year — so in 2026 that is Tuesday, July 7. Some regions that keep the traditional lunar calendar, most famously Sendai in the Tohoku region, hold their festivals about a month later. The huge Sendai Tanabata Festival runs August 6–8, 2026.
The legend behind Tanabata
Tanabata celebrates a romantic legend borrowed from China. Orihime, the weaver star (Vega), and Hikoboshi, the cowherd star (Altair), fell so deeply in love that they neglected their work, and were separated on opposite banks of the Milky Way. They are allowed to reunite just once a year — on the seventh night of the seventh month — which is the night Tanabata marks.
Tanabata traditions
- Tanzaku wishes — people write wishes on colorful strips of paper and tie them to bamboo branches.
- Streamers and decorations — homes, shops and stations are draped in vivid paper ornaments.
- Festivals (matsuri) — towns hold parades, food stalls and fireworks; Sendai's giant streamer displays are the most famous.
Count down to Tanabata
Want the days, hours and minutes ticking down to the wish-making night? Open the live Tanabata 2026 countdown. You can also explore Japan's other great summer festival, Gion Matsuri in Kyoto, or create your own countdown to a date that matters to you.