A dragon made of bamboo decorations parades through Nishi-Koiso in a Tanabata festival that leads to the sea
Oiso Tanabata Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Augustearly / Every year
- Location
- Within Nishi-Koiso, Oiso Town, and along the coast
- 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Oiso Festival, passed down in Nishi-Koiso, Oiso Town, is a locally rooted Tanabata observance held one month later than the usual date. Children carry bamboo decorations through the district and send a dragon-shaped Takemikoshi out to sea.
About Oiso Tanabata Festival
The Oiso Tanabata Festival is a Tanabata observance held one month later than the usual date, passed down in Nishi-Koiso, Oiso Town, Kanagawa Prefecture.
It has traditionally been held to purify the district of impurities and pray for a good harvest and rain.
A distinctive feature is that children carry bamboo decorations adorned with tanzaku strips through the community and shoulder a dragon-shaped Takemikoshi made from bamboo decorations.
The Takemikoshi is sent out to sea the following morning.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
Festival highlights
A highlight is watching children carry bamboo decorations adorned with tanzaku strips and colored paper ornaments through the district, calling out as they go.
They stop at shrines, water deities, Dosojin, bridges, crossroads, and other places, and strike the bamboo decorations against the ground as a purification ritual.
They then bundle the bamboo decorations together to make a dragon-shaped Takemikoshi, shoulder it, and parade through the district again.
In the west district, a Tanabata dance performed with masks has also been passed down.
A dragon made of bamboo decorations parades through Nishi-Koiso in a Tanabata festival that leads to the sea
What to expect
The event begins when children bring the bamboo decorations that had been set up under the eaves or by the entrances of homes and gather at the event lodging.
They shoulder the bamboo decorations and make a purification procession through the district. After resting at the event lodging, they follow the same route again.
Next, the bamboo decorations are bundled together to make a Takemikoshi, which is shouldered for a circuit of the district.
The following morning, the Takemikoshi is carried to the shore and sent out to sea, bringing the event to a close.
Location and access
- Venue and address
It is held within Nishi-Koiso, Oiso Town.
Bamboo decorations and the Takemikoshi are paraded through the district, then carried to the shore the following morning.
Event venue 神奈川県大磯町 大磯町西小磯の地区内および海岸
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
It is usually held in early August as a delayed Tanabata event.
In the Nishi-Koiso East district, the event is held every year on August 6 and 7. In the Nishi-Koiso West district, the Saturday and Sunday around August 7 are a general guide.
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
The event includes a procession through the district and the Takemikoshi being sent out to sea from the shore. When viewing, please take care not to obstruct local residents or the procession.
The event at the shore the following morning takes place early, and in recent years adults have entered the sea in place of the children.
Please check the specific viewing locations and day-of-event information before the event.
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 Oiso Tanabata Festival
The Oiso Tanabata Festival is a folk event passed down in the east and west districts of Nishi-Koiso.
It is centered on elementary and junior high school students and was once organized by children’s groups within local community associations.
In the east district, groups of children from each neighborhood continue under the preservation society. In the west district, the event has evolved from one involving several neighborhood groups into an event for the district as a whole.
In the past, children also had a custom of staying overnight at the event lodging.
Official information
The Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties provides the name, season, place of transmission, and details of the “Oiso Tanabata Festival.”
The Nishi-Koiso East Tanabata Preservation Society and the Nishi-Koiso West Children’s Development Association are listed as preservation groups.
Oiso Tanabata Festival at a Glance
The Oiso Tanabata Festival is a Tanabata observance passed down in Nishi-Koiso, Oiso Town, associated with purification, prayers for rain, and hopes for a good harvest.
Children carry bamboo decorations through the district, then use them to make and shoulder a dragon-shaped Takemikoshi.
The following morning, the Takemikoshi is sent out to sea, a custom closely tied to local life.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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