Every year, Japanese children write wishes on strips of colored paper and use them to decorate bamboo branches for a festival called Tanabata, which takes place on July 7th.
Many bamboo branches decorated by kindergartens and schools associated with Kodai-ji are on display in the car park of the Zen temple. It looks very pretty and festive.
A light-up event also takes place every evening from 5 pm to 9:30 pm in the pay-to-visit garden. For only 600 yen, you can explore the temple's beautiful garden under the festive lights. You won't regret it.
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Cathy Cawood @cathy.cawood
I came to Japan in 2003 to teach English. I lived in Shiga prefecture for 1 year, and it still holds a special place in my heart. I lived in Kyoto for 9 years, then moved to Machida, Tokyo in 2014 after meeting my Japanese partner. I love to take photos, and my Japan in Pictures Facebook page ha...
