On August 6 (the day before the August Tanabata Star Festival) long straw ropes are stretched at places such as the entrance of the village, and straw crafts such as straw dolls, footwear, and farm tools are hung. In many cases, the ropes are stretched across the river that flows through the village. In a take on the Tanabata legend, the two love stars Altair and Vega meeting along the rope on the seventh night of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, preventing evil spirits and plagues from invading the village, and family spirits returning during the Bon festival travel across the ropes. It used to be held in more than 30 areas in the southern part of Kumamoto Prefecture, but now it is held in five areas: Nakatani-kigisu in Sakamoto-machi, Yatsushiro City; Uwabaru, Iwai-gawachi, Shimo-shiraki, and Shukuzaka in Ashikita Town.