2026 Shinshū Ueda Tanabata Festival - Full Day Course
The Shinshū Ueda Tanabata Festival is held at Umino-cho Shopping Street in Ueda, Nagano Prefecture, a castle town with ties to the Sanada clan. In 2026, it runs for two days on August 8th and 9th. The shopping street becomes a pedestrian zone filled with tanabata decorations of various sizes. The first day runs from 11am to 9:30pm. This course is designed to explore the castle town of Ueda early in the morning, then enjoy the festival throughout the day. In the morning, walk through Ueda Castle Ruins Park, the former castle of the Sanada clan, and learn about its history at the Ueda Municipal Museum. Then stroll through Yanagi-cho with its namako-kabe merchant houses, stop by the equestrian statue of Sanada Yukimura in front of Ueda Station, then at 11am head to the Tanabata Festival at Umino-cho Shopping Street. Spend the whole day under the colorful tanabata decorations and enjoy Ueda's summer until 9:30pm at night.
Schedule
Walk through the famous castle ruins of the Sanada clan during the cool morning hours
View exhibits introducing the Sanada clan and the history of Ueda
Stroll through a post town on the Hokoku Highway lined with namako-kabe merchant houses
Take a commemorative photo at the equestrian statue of Sanada Yukimura
Experience the main event: tanabata decorations swaying in the pedestrian shopping street
Photos6
How was this course?
Reviews
No reviews yet