About the festival
Yamaguchi Tanabata Lantern Festival covers the shopping streets with red lanterns. Performances and events also use separate squares and the Ichinosaka River area.
Who is it for?
Visitors interested in lantern photography and a gentle evening city walk.
Photo: Maria-Yamaguchi · CC BY-SA 4.0
Original date: 2016-08-07 13:07:52. Original image or Commons thumbnail; no additional edits.
Dates and times
Usually 6–7 August
Usual season; next dates not confirmed. Times use JST. See the official programme for session times and changes.
Venue and parade route
Yamaguchi · 山口
Venues include the central shopping arcades, Ichinosaka River Traffic Exchange Square and Kameyama Fureai Square. There is no common start for all events.
中心商店街周辺
The map pin marks a reference venue, rather than every entrance or the full parade route.
Getting there by train or bus
- Travel to Yamaguchi Station and walk toward the central shopping district; Shin-Yamaguchi is a different station farther away.
What to see
- Red-lantern streets
- Square performances
- Local festival events
History and origins
Local lantern traditions form the basis of this summer festival and its decorated shopping streets.
Planning your visit
Our editorial suggestions for planning your trip.
Choose the lantern streets for an evening walk, then add a specific performance if its venue fits your route.
Places to visit nearby
Rurikoji Five-storied Pagoda
瑠璃光寺五重塔
Rurikoji’s wooden five-storied pagoda stands in Kozan Park. Visitors admire its exterior rather than entering the tower.
See the pagoda and park by daylight, then head back to the shopping streets for the evening lanterns.
These stops and the suggested order are editorial recommendations. Check each venue's opening hours and festival-day road closures before travelling.
Yamaguchi Tanabata Lantern Festival: common questions
When is Yamaguchi Tanabata Lantern Festival?
Usually 6–7 August This is the usual season, rather than a confirmed timetable for the next edition. Times are Japan Standard Time (JST).
Where does Yamaguchi Tanabata Lantern Festival take place?
Venues include the central shopping arcades, Ichinosaka River Traffic Exchange Square and Kameyama Fureai Square. There is no common start for all events.
How do I get to Yamaguchi Tanabata Lantern Festival by public transport?
Travel to Yamaguchi Station and walk toward the central shopping district; Shin-Yamaguchi is a different station farther away.
Can I walk from Shin-Yamaguchi Station to the lantern streets?
Use a connection toward central Yamaguchi; Shin-Yamaguchi is not the station beside the festival's downtown streets.
Official sources
- Festival and visitor guide 1 (yamaguchi-tourism.jp) ↗
- Festival and visitor guide 2 (www.city.yamaguchi.lg.jp) ↗
Sources reviewed: .