Two ryokans in Hakone — Kinnotake Tonosawa and Matsuzakaya Honten — are running a Tanabata (Star Festival) campaign from June 7 to July 7, 2026. Guests can write wishes on tanzaku (paper strips) and enter draws for prizes, including luxury accommodation vouchers worth up to ¥100,000 and a range of traditional Japanese cultural experiences.
In recent years, experiencing local culture and seasonal traditions has become an increasingly important part of travel. At the same time, opportunities to participate in traditional events like Tanabata — where people write wishes on colorful paper strips and hang them on bamboo branches — have grown less common in everyday life. This campaign offers guests the chance to pause during their stay in Hakone, put their hopes and aspirations into words, and carry home a meaningful memory of the season.
Kinnotake Tonosawa: "Return in a Year" Tanabata Event
At Kinnotake Tonosawa, the Tanabata event is themed around "returning in a year" — an invitation for guests to leave Hakone with something to look forward to on a future visit.
Guests write a wish on a tanzaku strip and drop the stub (with a contact information section filled in) into a dedicated box. Winners are selected by lottery and awarded accommodation prizes.
A limited-edition cocktail, "Milky Way," is also available at the lounge during the campaign period, evoking the starry night sky above Hakone.
Campaign Period: June 7, 2026 (Sun) to July 7, 2026 (Tue)
Eligible Guests: All overnight guests during the period
How to Enter: Write a wish on a tanzaku at the special bamboo display, then drop the stub (with contact information filled in) into the designated box. Winners are chosen by lottery.
Limited Cocktail: "Milky Way" — a pre-dinner aperitif available in the lounge, crafted to evoke the starry skies of Hakone.
Prizes:
- Grand Prize: Accommodation invitation voucher for Sengokuhara (1 couple)
- Runner-Up Prizes: 50% discount accommodation voucher for Tonosawa (2 vouchers)
Prize vouchers are valid for stays between July 1 and 31, 2027.
Matsuzakaya Honten: Participatory Tanabata Event with Traditional Japanese Culture
At Matsuzakaya Honten — an inn with over 360 years of history — a bamboo display is set up in the "Irori no Ma" (Hearth Room), where guests can take part in the Tanabata event.
Guests who write a wish on a tanzaku and post a photo to Instagram can spin a prize wheel on the spot. Prizes on offer include accommodation discount vouchers of up to 50% off, facility use vouchers, the ryokan's original bath salts, and traditional Japanese cultural experiences through the "Ryocanse" program — which includes tea ceremony, kimono dressing, and samurai armor fitting.
Campaign Period: June 7, 2026 (Sun) to July 7, 2026 (Tue)
Eligible Guests: Overnight guests at Matsuzakaya Honten
Location: Irori no Ma (Hearth Room)
How to Participate:
- Write a wish on a tanzaku and hang it on the bamboo display in the Irori no Ma.
- Take a photo of the display and post it to Instagram with the designated hashtag.
- Show the post to a staff member, then spin the hashtag-linked prize wheel ("Gachapon").
Prizes:
- Grand Prizes: Discount vouchers for a future stay (50% off ×1, 30% off ×2, 10% off ×5)
- Runner-Up Prizes: Facility use vouchers, Matsuzakaya Honten original bath salts, and traditional cultural activities through "Ryocanse" (samurai armor fitting, tea ceremony, kimono dressing, and more)
Details on Ryocanse: https://kinnotake-resorts.com/ryocance/matsuzakaya_honten/
Wishes Dedicated to Hakone Shrine
After the campaign ends, all tanzaku collected at both ryokans will be dedicated to Hakone Shrine, a historically significant shrine that has been a place of faith in the Hakone area for centuries. Each wish will be offered with prayers for its fulfillment, giving the event a sacred dimension beyond the ordinary and turning a moment on a trip into something guests can carry with them for life.
