As part of the Tokyo metropolitan area promotion of the Sendai Tanabata Festival, a summer tradition in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, the "Sendai Tanabata Festival in Omotesando Hills" will be held at Omotesando Hills from the 24th to the 30th.
During the festival, 15 giant, 4-meter-long streamers handcrafted by artisans will be displayed on the grand atrium staircase. Bamboo shoots will be placed on the central landing of the grand staircase, where visitors can write their wishes on strips of paper and tie them. The Kids' Forest floor will also be decorated with mini Tanabata decorations, and a corner will be set up where children can tie their own strips of paper. After the exhibition ends, the strips will be repaired and donated to Osaki Hachiman Shrine, a national treasure in Sendai City. Additionally, on the 29th and 30th, Yoko Sato, president of "Densho Tanabata," a volunteer group dedicated to preserving the tradition of Sendai Tanabata decorations, will be invited to a workshop on mini Tanabata decorations that even small children can easily make.
A "Sendai Products Market" will be held in the rest area on the 3rd basement floor of the main building on the 29th and 30th. The Akiu area, famous for Akiu Onsen, a beloved hot spring of Date Masamune, is home to a wide selection of handicrafts and local toys, including Sendai chests of drawers, crafted from wood, bamboo, lacquerware, ceramics, glass, and stone by "Teshigoto Akiu," a network of artists and craftspeople from the Akiu region. Local foods are also available, including Akiu Ohagi, a popular treat that draws long lines, and miso karinto, made with Akiu soybeans. The Sendai Tanabata Festival is held annually from August 6th to 8th, centered around the arcade street in Sendai's Aoba Ward. More than 1,500 bamboo decorations form an arch, and in the evening, a stage performance for the "Starry Night Festival" and a fireworks display are also held. Last year, approximately 2 million people visited the festival. A promotion at Omotesando Hills was also held last year as part of a disaster recovery support event.