Asagaya has been holding its own distinctive Tanabata festival for over 60 years now, but the event has moved with the times. In recent years, the papier-mâché decorations dangling from the ceiling of the Pearl Center shopping arcade have included modern characters like Jack Sparrow and Buzz Lightyear.
The decorations are there all-day long, but many people wait until dusk to go and enjoy them. That's when the shopping street comes alive with a host of food and drink stalls offering Japanese festive fare.