Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival

My friend and I visited a Tanabata Festival at Kanagawa prefecture to experience how Japanese celebrate this festival on 7th July (Sun). Chinese don't really celebrate this even though it originated from a Chinese myth, so I was curious how Japanese adapted this festival into their own. This place was quite far, a 100min ride from Shinjuku area.

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival
It was around 3.30pm and the sun was still shining brightly =_=. It was extremely HOT!!! So we decided to make a round about to avoid the sun.

Japanese squid food stall
...and alas! We saw lots of food!

Japanese squid food stall
First kill, half a squid without tentacles...300yen. Not bad.

mochi mochi fries
While eating, we saw this "mochi mochi"(chewy) fries and looked rather tempting... *Don't ask me why it's the French flag*

+Chilli & cheese for 700yen. YUMMY!

Japanese crab meat food stall
Saw this crab meat stall that seemed pretty good, but we were skeptical on how much actual crab meat they used.

Japanese corn food stall
My friend likes Japanese corn because it is very sweet. Happiness with charcoal grilled corn, 400yen :P

taiyaki parfait
He spotted this weird parfait made from taiyaki (cake in a shape of a fish).  I wasn't sure if it'll be good, no buy.

okonomiyaki food stall japanese festival
WOW, the amount of eggs and cabbage!!!

cucumber food stall japanese festival
They were selling cold cucumbers or pickled cold cucumbers everywhere for 200yen each!

ramen burger stall
Ramen burger! But no queue at all = not very tasty?

japanese ice kachang strawberry
My friend was very interested in the crushed ice with milk cream + actual strawberry bits! It was really good! Something like ice kachang back home but more "luxurious".

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival
So we chilled out enough and went back to the main street...

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival
In the Japanese Tanabata Festival, you write your wish and hang them on a bamboo branch. Some shops would usually lay out on a table on the streets and let you write and hang for free, but because this is a major festival, the organisers were selling these at 100yen each. Imagine if they sold 5000 pcs, the revenue would be approx. USD5000!

Writing my wish while sipping my lemonade XD

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival
My camera was too awesome... =_=

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival


Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival
The light up reminds me of the Chinese mid-autumn festival, when we light up huge lanterns.

Japanese yukata

Japanese yukata

Japanese yukata
Young girls were wearing short yukata. Somehow we gaijin (foreigners) prefer the traditional long ones  because they look more elegant instead of boyish.

Japanese festival games

Japanese festival games
This girl is incredible... she still continued to scoop the fishes even when her net was torn. She will be a great housewife or CEO in the future!

Japanese festival games
We checked out the kind of games they have and games like this is rather international. These kids tried to shoot down the blocks from the rack for more than 10 times and still couldn't make it. We concluded that it must be a joint effort of at least two guns aimed at the same block and shot concurrently to increase the kinetic force for the block to fall down :P

Japanese festival games
Attractive toys as prizes, except I'm not sure if these were authentic licensed copies...
Even the earrings on the lady was a bit dubious... But this is Japan, should be...legit?

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival
Japanese loves dogs... very much!!!

Japanese policeman guarding trash
Even the policemen guarding the trash is so cool~ (I think he was making sure everyone sort the trash properly)

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival
And there were people with signs to control traffic flow. Otsukare-sama!

That's all from me! For more reading about Tanabata Festival, check out Zooming Japan, another wonderful gaijin blog about Japan :P

Comments

  1. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! What's a wonderfull wish You made :lol: I wish that it will became true soon.

    Could You tell me what is relation between 金魚 and CEO? I think these fishes aren't eatable. What she will do with these?

    Great report, thanks.
    Yeah, I should visit that someday ...
    ewww...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks ewww!
      Well the CEO would try to cut cost and increase revenue... so like... the girl was trying to maximise the use of her net to get as many fishes as possible! :P

      Actually we prefer the Kawagoe festival. Anything with parade is better than walking through decorations :P

      Delete
    2. ouch! You sounds like real MBA: net/cost/revenue 8)

      Do You have pictures from Kawagoe?
      Sorry, I am such annoying.

      ewww...

      Delete
    3. Yes I do!
      But I didn't put on my blog because it wasn't very proper last time :P
      I'd find time to post about it!

      Delete
  2. Wow! My first time see-ing pictures of a Tanabata Festival!
    It's so colourful and lots of fun!
    I need to go Japan someday to experience Tanabata :D
    I'm curious about the mochi mochi potato, it looks so yummy and I'm hungry now :p

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tanabata was o-k. I will blog about Kawagoe festival when I have time, that one is one of the better festivals within reach of Tokyolites :P
      Mochi mochi fries were very good, yumz!

      Delete
  3. really interesting !! thanks for all the info !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad it interests you, thank you for dropping by too! :)

      Delete
  4. This looks like so much fun!
    I would have loved to visit, but it's just too far away!

    It's one of the most popular Tanabata Festivals in Japan besides the one in Sendai.
    I've been to one in Tatebayashi (Gunma) last August and it was GREAT! ^^

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, and thanks so much for mentioning my blog! ^______^

      Delete
    2. Hehehe, you're welcome!
      Your blog is more informative, I'd link more often in the future when I find similar topics ^___^

      Delete
  5. As always great pictures and is great to read and know a bit more about the things you see.

    About the game that kids shoot boxes to drop them...I think there is foul play involved...at least at the fairs that I have visited, they stick the box so it won't fall easily...I eman if you can´t shoot it down with only one gun I call foul play! hahaha

    I also find the cold cucumbers rather bizarre :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. IT WAS certainly foul play! They kept on shooting down the boxes in such close proximity but it will never ever fall down the rack. So it must be combine effort of two guns!

      Cold cucumbers were damn profitable too! After drinks!

      Delete
  6. so this is what The Tanabata Festival, thanks for the Sharing Eva! ^_^
    Japan looks so lovely! Hope I can visit this country someday! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome! Thanks for dropping by too and hope you can come visit Japan one day.
      (otherwise for future honeymoon? XD)

      Delete
  7. Jia you~~~
    Hope U have a book on living in Japan~~~~~ from Spore gal's point of view. :D
    Envy all the fun you are getting~~~ >_<

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks thanks! There are not-so-fun times too
      But I do my best to enjoy my last two months here :3

      Delete
  8. Great post - wish I was there (oh wait, I was - LOL!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, thanks for dropping by!
      Your photo was pretty and funny at the same time :P
      Comments were funny XD

      Delete

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