The Japanese Festival of Wishes lights up Buenos Aires with rituals, music and Asian food Free admission!

The Tanabata Matsuri is the famous Japanese festival of wishes, which invites you to write a wish on a strip of paper and hang it on bamboo branches, in the hope that the wind will carry it to the universe and it will be fulfilled. Don’t miss the Japanese Festival of Wishes in Buenos Aires this July 12. Admission is free.

The Japanese Festival of Wishes illuminates the winter of Buenos Aires with rituals, music and Asian food.

This Tanabata Matsuri combines aesthetics, spirituality and culture during the weekend of July 12 and 13 at Mercat Villa Crespo with free activities, shows and themed gastronomy.

Tanabata means “the night of the seventh” and has its origin in an ancient Chinese legend adopted by Japan in the 8th century that tells the story of two celestial lovers (Orihime and Hikoboshi) who, separated by the Milky Way as punishment for neglecting their chores, can only meet once a year: the seventh day of the seventh month.

On that day, millions of people in Asia write their wishes on colored paper, called tanzaku, and hang them from bamboo branches. Today, this millenary tradition is replicated all over the world, and its presence is growing in Argentina thanks to the rise of Asian culture.

What will you find at the Japanese Festival of Wishes at Mercat Villa Crespo?

In Buenos Aires, the Tanabata will have its meeting point in the Asian Alley of Mercat Villa Crespo, where a special scenography will be set up with bamboo trees, thousands of tanzaku, typical food and live shows.

In addition to the rituals of wishes, the festival includes traditional music, J-pop, talks on Japanese philosophy, karaoke, oriental dance exhibitions and concerts inspired by anime and video games. All with free admission.

Program at Mercat Villa Crespo

📅 Saturday, July 12 – Tanabata Pop & J-Rock

16 hs – Traditional Chinese dance in Hanfu costume

5 p.m. – Mumei Bando: J-pop & J-rock live

6 p.m. – Kiseki: Anime and video game songs

19:30 hs – Kamikaze Duo: Rock fusion, cumbia and samurai culture

8:30 pm – DJ Ryuji: Contemporary Japanese electronic music

📅 S unday, July 13 – Traditional Tanabata

3 p.m. – Live Japanese Karaoke

3:30 pm – Talk about Ikigai with Fernando Niizawa

4 pm – Traditional Japanese songs

5 p.m. – Okinawan Dances

18 hs – Mukaito Taiko: Japanese drum show

7 pm – Sarmiento Taiko: closing with percussion and Matsuri dance.

Do not miss the opportunity to know how is a Tanabata and enjoy a Japanese festival of wishes in Buenos Aires as if you were in Japan. Admission is free and free of charge.

Saturday July 12th and Sunday July 13th. From 12hs

📍Thames 747