A Tanabata festival that lights up Yuzawa’s nights with e-dōrō lanterns depicting beautiful women from ukiyo-e
Tanabata E-dōrō Festival
The 2026 edition of E-dōrō Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/08/05 〜 2026/08/07Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year, from August 5 through the 7th / Every year
- Location
- Four shopping streets around Yuzawa Station and the entire Yuzawa city center
- Area
- Akita Prefecture・Yuzawa City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 40 min–4 h 10 min · bullet 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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
This traditional summer festival fills the streets of Yuzawa with Tanabata decorations on blue bamboo and e-dōrō lanterns depicting beautiful women from ukiyo-e. As dusk falls, the lanterns are lit, surrounding the city center in a fantastical scene.
About Tanabata E-dōrō Festival
This is a traditional event held every year in central Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture, in connection with Tanabata.
Blue bamboo, five-colored strips of paper, and streamers decorate the entrances to homes, while e-dōrō lanterns depicting beautiful women from ukiyo-e line the streets.
The lanterns are lit at dusk, brightening the streets of Yuzawa.
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the nighttime scene, when hundreds of large and small e-dōrō lanterns are lit.
Most depict beautiful women from ukiyo-e or other portraits of beautiful women, and you can also see mini e-dōrō painted by children and contemporary anime-style works.
Along with in the shopping streets and Tanabata decorations, the city center becomes a colorful festival stage.
Source: 祭・イベント詳細： 七夕絵どうろうまつり;｜（一財）都市農山漁村交流活性化機構（まちむら交流きこう）
A Tanabata festival that lights up Yuzawa’s nights with e-dōrō lanterns depicting beautiful women from ukiyo-e
What to expect
During the festival, homes decorate blue bamboo with five-colored strips of paper and streamers, and e-dōrō lanterns are displayed along the streets.
Related events include judging of the e-dōrō lanterns, Tanabata dancing, a Tanabata lantern parade, and a Tanabata health marathon.
Events such as the Yuzawa Nanke Satake performance and a street-performer festival are also listed among the festivities.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Four shopping streets around Yuzawa Station.
The festival venue covers the entire city center.
- Train and bus
A 1-minute walk from Yuzawa Station on the JR Ōu Main Line.
Another guide states that it is a 3-minute walk.
- By car
About 5–7 minutes from Yuzawa IC on the Yuzawa-Yokote Road.
- Parking
Around 2,000 spaces are available in temporary parking lots nearby, with shuttle bus information provided.
Source: 秋田湯沢2026七夕絵どうろうまつり(秋田県)の詳細データ｜ウォーカープラス
Address Four shopping streets around Yuzawa Station, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, it was held from August 5 (Wednesday) through Friday the 7th.
The festival runs from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., and until 8:30 p.m. on the 7th.
The festival is also listed as taking place from August 5 through the 7th each year.
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 Akita Prefecture / Yuzawa City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The e-dōrō lanterns are all lit at once as night falls, so visiting from evening into nighttime is a good way to experience the festival’s distinctive features.
In 2026, the festival ended at 8:30 p.m. on the 7th, earlier than on the other days.
If traveling by car, check the information about nearby temporary parking lots and shuttle buses before setting out.
Nearby attractions
院内銀山異人館
秋田県湯沢市にある郷土資料館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Tanabata E-dōrō Festival
Yuzawa’s Tanabata celebration is said to have begun when a princess who came from Kyoto to marry in 1702 expressed her longing for Kyoto by decorating blue bamboo with five-colored strips of paper.
The tradition of hanging e-dōrō lanterns during festivals has continued since the Edo period. It is said that e-dōrō first appeared at Tanabata in the early Meiji period.
It continues to be celebrated today as an event with a history of around 300 years.
Source: 七夕絵どうろうまつり - Wikipedia / 湯沢市の観光案内 - 湯沢市ホームページ
Official information
2026年公式ページ：2026 official page
主催者関連案内：湯沢市観光物産協会公式サイト「七夕絵どうろうまつり」
Tanabata E-dōrō Festival at a Glance
The Tanabata E-dōrō Festival is a traditional summer event held in central Yuzawa, where visitors can enjoy e-dōrō lanterns depicting beautiful women from ukiyo-e and other subjects.
Blue bamboo, five-colored strips of paper, and streamers brighten the streets, and hundreds of large and small e-dōrō lanterns are lit at night.
Other events include Tanabata dancing, a lantern parade, and taiko drumming.
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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