The Nishikoiso Tanabata Event, where local hopes are entrusted to a bamboo mikoshi
Nishikoiso Tanabata Event
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year in August / Every year
- Location
- Nishikoiso East and Nishikoiso West districts
- Area
- Kanagawa Prefecture・Oiso Town(From Tokyo: approx. 30 min–1 h · train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Event passed down in Nishikoiso, Oiso, is known for the bamboo carried by children and for customs that differ between the East and West districts. With wishes to ward off epidemics, bring a good harvest, and bring rain, the participants walk around the district with bamboo decorations, then send the bamboo mikoshi out to sea.
About Nishikoiso Tanabata Event
The Nishikoiso Tanabata Event is a Tanabata festival led by children, passed down in the Nishikoiso district of Oiso.
It is not an event celebrating the legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl; rather, it is intended to ward off epidemics and purify the village before the season.
It is also distinctive in its use of bamboo decorations and a dragon-shaped bamboo mikoshi, with different forms of the tradition passed down in the East and West districts.
Source: 西小磯の七夕の調査に行ってきました／大磯町ホームページ
Festival highlights
Highlights include the ritual of sweeping the Dosojin and the ground with bamboo decorations adorned with tanzaku strips, and the dragon-shaped bamboo mikoshi made by bundling bamboo decorations together.
In Nishikoiso West, there is a custom of performing the Tanabata dance and striking the bamboo mikoshi against utility poles. In Nishikoiso East, a mandō lantern is erected, and the bamboo mikoshi is shaken as prayers are recited.
One interesting aspect is that these neighboring districts differ in who takes part, the form of their bamboo mikoshi, and how they carry out the event.
The Nishikoiso Tanabata Event, where local hopes are entrusted to a bamboo mikoshi
What to expect
During the event, participants walk around the district carrying bamboo decorations adorned with tanzaku strips, and sweep the Dosojin and the ground.
The bamboo decorations are then bundled together to make a dragon-shaped bamboo mikoshi, which is carried around the district.
The following day, the bamboo mikoshi is sent out to sea, bringing the event to a close. In the West district, the event also includes dancing and striking the mikoshi against utility poles; in the East district, it is shaken while prayers are recited.
Source: 大磯の七夕行事 文化遺産オンライン
How to take part
This is a local event centered on children. In Nishikoiso East, a preservation association carries the bamboo mikoshi; in Nishikoiso West, the children's club carries it.
If you wish to watch, it is important to observe quietly from designated areas so as not to interfere with the local event.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Nishikoiso district, Oiso, Naka District, Kanagawa Prefecture.
The event is held in both the Nishikoiso East and Nishikoiso West districts.
Address Nishikoiso district, Oiso, Naka District, Kanagawa Prefecture
Dates and season
It is held every year in August.
The Higashi District of Nishi-Koiso is held every year on August 6 and 7, while the Nishi District of Nishi-Koiso is listed as taking place on the Saturday and Sunday around August 7.
Since the dates vary by district, please check whether the event you plan to visit is in the east or west district.
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Kanagawa Prefecture / Oiso Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
If you want to get a close look at the bamboo mikoshi as it moves through the district or at the ritual of sweeping the ground with bamboo decorations, please watch from a place that does not obstruct the bearers or the event.
In the West district, the bamboo mikoshi is struck against utility poles, while in the East district it is shaken, so please take care not to get too close to its route.
The event takes place during hot weather, so please also take care of your health.
Nearby attractions
六所神社 (大磯町)
神奈川県中郡大磯町国府本郷にある神社
湘南平
神奈川県平塚市と大磯町の境にある丘陵
Origins and History of Nishikoiso Tanabata Event
The Nishikoiso Tanabata Event is an intangible folk cultural property passed down in the Nishikoiso district.
It is associated with wishes to ward off epidemics, purify the village before the Obon season, and bring rain for a good harvest.
It was designated as a cultural property in 2002, and the Nishikoiso East Tanabata Preservation Association and Nishikoiso West Children's Development Association are still listed as its preservation organizations.
Source: 県指定等無形民俗文化財 - 神奈川県ホームページ
Official information
The Oiso Local History Museum presents its research on the Nishikoiso Tanabata Event on the town's website.
You can also find information about its cultural heritage designation and its usual time of year on the Cultural Heritage Online website.
For information about viewing the event or local guidance, please check the Oiso Local History Museum's information.
Nishikoiso Tanabata Event at a Glance
The Nishikoiso Tanabata Event is a local tradition in which children handle bamboo decorations and a dragon-shaped bamboo mikoshi, carrying on wishes for purification of the district, rain, and a good harvest.
The dances and the way the bamboo mikoshi is handled differ between Nishikoiso East and Nishikoiso West, allowing visitors to compare the distinctive characteristics of each district.
It is passed down as an event held in August, and finally the bamboo mikoshi is sent out to sea.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
Submit information or a correction Submit photos of this festival
