Palaceside Building's Tanabata decorations are up this week in the B1 and 1F atrium central corridor, through July 6 (Sat). The Meiten-kai — volunteers from the building's restaurants and shops (chair: Shunsuke Nakajima, president of Akasaka Hanten) — has made this an annual event for six years, hoping everyone can feel the season and enjoy a traditional Japanese folk custom. By now it feels completely familiar.
As every year, paper lanterns hang from the atrium ceiling and bamboo stands in the center of the B1 concourse — but this year marks the debut of pale blue LED illumination evoking the Milky Way. Doesn't it feel quite Tanabata? (Quite beautiful~)
As in past years, building tenants, passersby — anyone — may freely write wishes on tanzaku strips and hang them on the bamboo
. Hang them up, and maybe they'll come true. (My wish! ...May I win the lottery!!)
There is also a prize lottery. From July 1 (Mon) through 3 (Wed), member shops of the Meiten-kai (some excluded) will hold drawings; winners receive gift certificates usable at participating shops through the end of August. (Yes! I'll do my best~)
Why not write a wish yourself? The tanzaku will later be offered at Kanda Myojin — so you might expect some divine favor.