Walk along a street lined with Tanabata decorations and enjoy the summer atmosphere connecting Asakusa and Ueno
Shitamachi Tanabata Festival
The 2026 edition of Shitamachi Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/07/03 〜 2026/07/07Ended
- Season / frequency
- For several days around July 7 each year / Every year
- Location
- Kappabashi Hondori
- Area
- Tokyo Metropolis・Taito City(Within Tokyo: approx. 15 min–1 h by train (central areas))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
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A downtown summer festival where Kappabashi Hondori, connecting Asakusa and Ueno, is decorated with Tanabata ornaments and lanterns. Visitors can enjoy the lively local atmosphere while walking along the street and taking in the parade, dancing, shop stalls, and paper strips bearing wishes.
About Shitamachi Tanabata Festival
The Shitamachi Tanabata Festival is a local shopping district’s Tanabata celebration, held along Kappabashi Hondori in Taito City, Tokyo.
Tanabata decorations, lanterns, and bamboo displays adorn the approximately 1.2-kilometer stretch of road from west of Asakusa Rokku to Ueno.
Along with stalls run by local shops, there are music, dancing, and various performances, turning the entire urban street connecting Asakusa and Ueno into the festival venue.
Source: 下町七夕まつり 台東区ホームページ
Festival highlights
Highlights include the Tanabata decorations filling the straight stretch of Kappabashi Hondori and the view of Tokyo Skytree ahead.
The main events feature parades with the motorcycle police squad and elementary school marching bands, Etchu Owara Bushi dancing, dance processions, and street performances along the road.
Visitors can also enjoy stalls run by the shopping district and paper strips on which they can freely write wishes.
Source: 下町七夕まつり｜イベント｜台東区公式観光情報サイト / 下町七夕まつり - Wikipedia
Walk along a street lined with Tanabata decorations and enjoy the summer atmosphere connecting Asakusa and Ueno
What to expect
During the festival, visitors can walk along Kappabashi Hondori and enjoy the Tanabata decorations, lanterns, and stalls run by local shops.
At the weekend main events, visitors can watch parades, Etchu Owara Bushi, dance processions, and street performances from along the route.
Bamboo branches are also set up at the venue so visitors can tie on paper strips and write wishes.
Source: 【台東区】7月3日（金）～7月7日（火）上野と浅草を結ぶかっぱ橋本通りで「第39回下町七夕まつり」が開催されます。 | 号外NET 台東区
How to take part
In addition to watching as a visitor, you can write a wish on a tanzaku strip and hang it on the bamboo grass at the venue.
Taking part by hanging a tanzaku is an activity for visitors to enjoy at the venue.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kappabashi Hondori (the street connecting Showa-dori and Kokusai-dori).
- Train and bus
It is a 5-minute walk from JR Ueno Station, Iriya Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Tawaramachi Station or Inaricho Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, and a 3-minute walk from Asakusa Station on the Tsukuba Express.
Traffic restrictions are in effect during the festival, and the Megurin bus service is diverted.
- By car
Traffic restrictions are in effect on Kappabashi Hondori during the main event hours.
- Parking
The venue guide marks parking as “×” (not available).
Source: 【地図・アクセス】 - 第39回 下町七夕まつり(東京都台東区) - 夏休みおでかけガイド2026
Event venue 東京都台東区 かっぱ橋本通り
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
2026 Festival Information (The listed dates have passed)
In 2026, Tanabata decorations were displayed from July 3 (Friday) to July 7 (Tuesday), and the main events were held on July 4 (Saturday) and the 5th (Sunday).
The main events ran from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and traffic restrictions were in effect on Kappabashi Hondori during those hours.
The 2026 festival period has ended.
Source: 第39回下町七夕まつり
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 Tokyo Metropolis / Taito City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
On Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 5th, the main event days, the street becomes pedestrian-only and traffic restrictions are in place on Kappabashi Hondori.
The Megurin bus is also subject to detours, so it may not follow its usual route.
Since the event is viewed while walking along the street, please be mindful of other pedestrians and ongoing performances when it is crowded.
Nearby attractions
上野恩賜公園
東京都の公園
写真：The original uploader was Sdalu at English Wikipedia . / CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source ·
上野東照宮
東京都台東区の神社
国立科学博物館
東京都台東区にある国立博物館
国立西洋美術館
東京にある美術館
恩賜上野動物園
東京都台東区にある動物園
東京国立博物館
東京都台東区にある国立博物館
東京都美術館
東京都台東区にある美術館
浅草神社
東京都台東区の神社
Origins and History of Shitamachi Tanabata Festival
The Shitamachi Tanabata Festival was first held in 1988.
Kappabashi Hondori is said to have been developed as a road used by senior priests of Kaneiji Temple to travel to Sensoji Temple. Today, the local shopping district continues to hold Tanabata festivities.
The festival was canceled for 3 consecutive years, from 2020 through 2022.
Official information
Check the Taito City website for festival information.
The site also provides a link to the official Shitamachi Tanabata Festival website, where you can check details about the event.
For 2026 inquiries, contact the Shitamachi Tanabata Festival Organizing Committee Secretariat (within Taito City’s Urban Exchange Division).
Shitamachi Tanabata Festival at a Glance
The Shitamachi Tanabata Festival is an urban festival held along approximately 1.2 kilometers of Kappabashi Hondori, connecting Asakusa and Ueno, where visitors can enjoy Tanabata decorations, shop stalls, parades, dancing, and music.
Visitors can also write wishes on paper strips and hang them on bamboo branches.
In 2026, the festival ran from July 3 to July 7, with the main events held on July 4 and 5.
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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