Photo courtesy of the LA Tanabata Festival
The 17th Los Angeles Tanabata Festival moves to the JACCC, Aug. 9 through 17. The award-winning giant kazari on display from the Sendai, Japan Tanabata Festival are provided courtesy of sponsor Shiramatsuga Monaka.

The 17th annual Tanabata Festival will be held Aug. 9 to 17 as part of the Nisei Week Japanese Festival.

This year marks a new location for the festival, at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, 244 S. San Pedro St. in Little Tokyo.

The Tanabata Festival was started in Los Angeles in 2009 by Yoshihito Yonezawa, who received sponsorship from the three founding organizations — Little Tokyo Public Safety (Koban), Kenjinkai Kyogi Kai (Japanese Prefectural Association) and Nisei Week — to present the festival based on the Tanabata Festival in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, which dates back to the 700s.

Today, Sendai hosts the largest Tanabata Festival in the world with over 7,000 kazari (decorations) hanging throughout the city. The display of the magnificent kazari from Sendai at the JACCC is made possible by a special sponorship by Shiramatsuga Monaka.

The festival will feature handmade kazari by individuals, families, clubs, teams and organizations. Everyone is invited to participate. One remaining free workshop is set for Monday, Aug. 5, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the JACCC, Room 301.

Photo credit: Psyndi Quinones
Yoshihito Yonemoto, founder of the Los Angeles Tanabata Festival, and his wife Junko, who teaches the kazari-making workshops, proudly display three of the 2024 kazari winners.

Contest categories: A — individuals/ families; B — schools, churches, temples and nonprofit organizations; C — kenjinkai; D — display only and not eligible for a prize. Prizes will be awarded in each category: $100 for first place, $50 for second place, $30 for third place. The public will vote on the most creative kazari, which will receive the People’s Choice Award ($100).

Kazari will be judged on—representation of the theme, “Hope”; originality/creativity; design—use of paper decorations (flowers, streamers) and quality of construction.

Maximum height is 8 feet; maximum width is 22 inches; maximum weight is 8 pounds. If the kazari exceeds these limits, it will be disqualified. The kazari will be displayed but will not be eligible for the contest. Kazari not registered by the deadline will not be eligible for the contest and will be for display only.

Kazari drop-off day: Thursday, Aug. 7, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kazari pick-up day: Monday, Aug. 18, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, visit: www.latanabata.org or email: latanabatafestival@gmail.com.

The Los Angeles Tanabata Committee office is located at the JACCC, Room 405A.

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