The Kanto Matsuri (竿燈まつり・ "pole lantern festival") - a Tanabata-related event
Time: August 3-6
Prefecture: Akita
Location: Kanto Odori

The festival's main attraction showcases remarkable feats of skill, as performers balance kanto, long bamboo poles adorned with arrays of paper lanterns attached to the ends. Alongside Aomori's Nebuta Festival and Sendai's Tanabata, the Kanto Matsuri is one of the three major festivals of the Tohoku Region.