A Report of Tanabata Days in Tokyo Disney Sea, Japan – Tanabata Festival in Disneyland
It’s time for Tokyo Direct Guide to talk about Tanabata (Japanese Star Festival) in Tokyo Disney Resort – you came to this article with wondering what it is, didn’t you?
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| Tanabata Greetings in Tokyo Disney Sea, 2015 |
If you have been reading Tokyo Direct Diary for long, (Thanks!) you will shout, “Oh, fantastic! It’s Tanabata in Disneyland!!”
On the other hand, if you don’t know Tanabata at all, I know you are completely lost, saying in your mind, “What’s that???”
This post is for people like following.
- You are an enthusiastic Disney fan and completely lost. “I heard of Tanabata Days… or Star Festival in Disney Land in Japan, but what’s that??? How is it like????”
- You are thinking of visiting Japan, or really staying there, and looking for some “Only-in-Japan” experience.
- You like to see anything interesting, exciting, and/or rare in the world.
So it’s for everyone after all!
I visited Tokyo Disney Sea’s Tanabata events. This is my reports, photos, explanations and guides for visitors. Enjoy it!
Contents
1: Wishing Place
First of all, to understand the story, I recommend learning the Tale of Tanabata. It is a traditional Japanese Star Festival to make wishes on 7 July. Its romantic story attracts little children, young couples, old people, and anyone.
To talk about the most important thing first, Tanabata is a Japanese culture, so you can see Disney Tanabata Days in NO other Disneyland in the world but in Tokyo Disney Resort. Now you see how special it is!
In Tokyo Disney Resort, you’ll find Wishing Places with Tanabata bamboo decorations.
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| Tanabata Wishing Place in American Waterfront, Tokyo Disney Sea, & a cast |
The bamboos are decorated with origami (easy Japanese paper crafts) & some Mickies!
Beautiful, aren’t they?
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| Tanabata bamboo decorations in Tokyo Disney Sea |
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| A wishing card in Disney Tanabata Days, Japan |
Originally people write their wishes in a long piece of paper called tanzaku, but it is shaped Micky in Disneyland.
There are tables, pens and strings in the Wishing Place. You write your wish in the back. What is your wish?
All right? Then, you tie it up here.
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| Wishing cards tied up in the Wishing Place & a cast, Tokyo Disney Sea, Japan |
May your wishes come true…
Wishing Place in Tokyo Disney Sea
In American Waterfront
Open – 22:00
Free to join
You can get a wishing card from the casts in yukata (summer kimono)
Travel Tip: We can find some wishing places in Disney Resort Line (the loop line just around Tokyo Disney Resort) stations as well as in Disney Land & Sea.
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| Wishing Place in Resort Gateway Station |
2: Tanabata Greetings by Disney Characters
Parades are always highlights of our visit to Disneylands. But if it is a highly originated Tanabata parade, it cannot be more fantastic!
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| Tanabata Greetings in Tokyo Disney Sea, 2015 |
Micky, Minnie, Ariel, Prince Eric, Jasmine, Aladdin, and my beloved Duffy the Disney Bear & Shellie May in Tanabata costumes come to wish our dreams come true!
Tanabata is originally very Japanese, and it collaborated with American Disney. It’s times, don’t you think so? They sing “When You Wish Upon a Star” for us.
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| Singing “When You Wish Upon a Star” |
As far as I see it, it goes very well with Tanabata. Stars are important in many cultures in the world. Sometimes the similarity makes a fantastic collaboration.
Want to see the costumes?
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| Micky in Hikoboshi Costume & Minnie in Orihime Costume in Tanabata Tale |
If you finally want to know the characters in the original Tanabata tale, it’s here. Orihime is the heroine and Hikoboshi is the hero.
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| Duffy in Hikoboshi costume & Shelie May in Orihime costume |
What do you feel Disney characters in Japanese Tanabata costumes?
For me, a Japanese local, Duffy’s costume is a little like Mongolia or somewhere rather than Japan… At least they are Asian. I love them after all because they are CUTE!
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| Tanabata Greeting Boat going around Mediterranean Habor, Tokyo Disney Sea |
The 2 long decorations on the back of the boat are also traditional Tanabata decorations. Sendai, the central city in Northeast Japan, is famous for the big Tanabata Festival in August (July in Lunar Calendar is August in Solar Calendar of today) with this kind of decorations. They are so beautiful with winds.
It was a dreamy parade. I love it very much.
Tanabata Greetings
3 times a day
Schedule: 10:45 -, 13:05 -, 16:30 – (in 2015)
Free to see
At Mediterranean Harbor (Just in front of the entrance)
In conclusion
If there is something special about Tokyo Disney Resort, I think it’s definitely Disney Tanabata Days. For me, it’s the most beautiful thing in Disney.
I hope you feel how amazing my visit was from this article. If you are a Disney fan, Disney Tanabata Days is the last thing on the earth to regret jumping into.
Wish you a fantastic trip to Tokyo!!
Read MORE about Tokyo Disney Resort
3 Rarest Souvenirs in Disney Tanabata Days, Tokyo Disney Resort, Japan
3 Best Foods & Restaurants in Tokyo Disney Sea, Japan
Accommodation Advice for Tokyo Disney Resort Guests – Tokyo Direct Guide – If you visit TDR during your stay in Tokyo, I advise you to book a hotel with partnership with Disney. It’ll make your travel much better!
