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Yokota Air Base

Yokota celebrates Tanabata Festival with local community

Airmen from Yokota Air Base carry the wing mikoshi during the 66th annual Fussa Tanabata Festival in Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. The festival gave Yokota members an opportunity to build friendships with the local community while experiencing Japanese culture. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe/Released)

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Yokota celebrates Tanabata Festival with local community

(Left to right) 1st Lt. Peter Forde, 374th Contracting Squadron deputy chief, and 1st Lt. Ben Valdez Encinas, 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron assistant aircraft maintenance unit officer in charge, joins a local community’s mikoshi shrine carry during the 66th annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. The festival gave Yokota members an opportunity to build friendships with the local community while experiencing Japanese culture. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe/Released)

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Yokota celebrates Tanabata Festival with local community

Staff Sgt. Nicholas Poe, left, 459th Airlift Squadron UH-1N Iroquois special mission aviator, joins a local community’s mikoshi shrine carry during the 66th annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. The festival gave Yokota members an opportunity to build friendships with the local community while experiencing Japanese culture. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe/Released)

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Yokota celebrates Tanabata Festival with local community

Col. Scott Maskery, center, 374th Mission Support Group commander, carries the wing mikoshi while chanting during the 66th annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. The festival gave Yokota members an opportunity to build friendships with the local community while experiencing Japanese culture. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe/Released)

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Yokota celebrates Tanabata Festival with local community

A festival attendee poses for a photo during the 66th annual Fussa Tanabata Festival in Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. The festival included several parades and street vendors selling a variety of traditional Japanese street foods. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe/Released)

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Tanabata

A young woman carries a lantern in front of a mikoshi, or portable shrine, during the 66th Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. Community members participate in many events during the festival, including carrying mikoshi, dancing, and running food and drink booths. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/Released)

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Tanabata

A member of the Yokota-Fussa Friendship Club talks with Col. Kenneth Moss, 374th Airlift Wing commander, during the 66th Annual Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. Moss participated in carrying a mikoshi, or portable shrine, during the festival, along with nearly 100 other volunteers from Yokota Air Base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/Released)

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Star Festival

Performers dance on a mikoshi, or portable shrine, in the 66th Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. Fussa, a city neighboring Yokota Air Base, hosts the festival every year, offering a local and convenient option for Yokota members to experience Japanese culture. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Delano Scott/Released)

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Star Festival

Eiko Kawanishi, 374th Airlift Wing public affairs community relations specialist, marches with other Yokota members carrying a mikoshi, or portable shrine, down a road in Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016, during the 66th Annual Tanabata Festival. The mikoshi was donated to Yokota from a member of the Yokota-Fussa Friendship Club. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Delano Scott/Released)

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Star Festival

A man helps direct people carrying a mikoshi, or portable shrine, in the 66th Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. Fussa, a city neighboring Yokota Air Base, hosts the festival every year, offering a local and convenient option for Yokota members to experience Japanese culture. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Delano Scott/Released)

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Star Festival

A man dances in front of a mikoshi, or portable shrine, in the 66th Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. Fussa, a city neighboring Yokota Air Base, hosts the festival every year, offering a local and convenient option for Yokota members to experience Japanese culture. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Delano Scott/Released)

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Tanabata

Members from Yokota Air Base carry a mikoshi, or portable shrine, during the 66th Annual Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. Nearly 100 volunteers from Yokota carried the shrine during this year's festival; Yokota Airmen have attended the festival since 1958 and have actively participated in carrying a mikoshi since 1975. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/Released)

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Tanabata

Members of Yokota Air Base carry a mikoshi, or portable shrine, during the 66th Annual Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. Yokota Airmen have attended the festival since 1958 and have actively participated in carrying the mikoshi since 1975. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/Released)

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Tanabata

A man carries a mikoshi, or portable shrine, during the 66th Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. Traditionally, the mikoshi were believed to carry Shinto gods through the city, cleansing the streets of evil spirits. Today, mikoshi represent collectivity and the overcoming of hardships. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/Released)

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Tanabata

Performers participate in the 66th Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. Fussa, a city neighboring Yokota Air Base, hosts the festival every year, offering a local and convenient option for Yokota members to experience Japanese culture. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/Released)

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Tanabata

Performers participate in the 66th Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. Fussa, a city neighboring Yokota Air Base, hosts the festival every year, offering a local and convenient option for Yokota members to experience Japanese culture. (U.S. Air Force by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/Released)

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Tanabata

An Airman from Yokota Air Base takes a break from carrying a mikoshi, or portable shrine, during the 66th Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. Nearly 100 members of Yokota participated in carrying the mikoshi, giving the Air Force base an active role in the Japanese festival. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/Released)

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Tanabata

A woman wearing a traditional Japanese yukata dances during the 66th Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. Every year, members of Yokota Air Base participate in the festival by carrying a mikoshi, or portable shrine, dancing in a parade and eating local foods and drinks. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/ Released)

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Tanabata

A balloon hangs over a street during the 66th Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Aug. 5, 2016. Every year, Fussa, a city neighboring Yokota Air Base, hosts the Tanabata, or Star Festival. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/Released)

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Tanabata

Men watch people carry mikoshis, or portable shrines, down a road in Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016, during the 66th Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival. Every year, Fussa, a city neighboring Yokota Air Base, hosts the Tanabata, or Star Festival. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/Released)

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Tanabata

Members of Yokota Air Base carry a mikoshi, or portable shrine, down a road in Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016, during the 66th Annual Tanabata Festival. Every year, members of Yokota Air Base participate in the festival by carrying a mikoshi, or portable shrine, dancing in a parade and eating local foods and drinks. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/Released)

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Tanabata

Tanabata Dancers participate in a parade during the 66th Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. The Tanabata Dancers, from Yokota Air Base, perform at local festivals in order to promote goodwill and cultural exchange between the U.S. and Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/Released)

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Tanabata

A woman wearing a traditional Japanese yukata dances during the 66th Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. Every year, members of Yokota Air Base participate in the festival by carrying a mikoshi, or portable shrine, dancing in a parade and eating local foods and drinks. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/ Released)

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Tanabata

A Tanabata Dancer participates in a parade during the 66th Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival at Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. The Tanabata Dancers, from Yokota Air Base, perform at local festivals in order to promote goodwill and cultural exchange between the U.S. and Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez/Released)

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Star Festival

Published Aug. 11, 2016
374th Airlift Wing public affairs

FUSSA CITY, Japan -- Airmen from Yokota Air Base carry the wing mikoshi during the 66th annual Fussa Tanabata Festival in Fussa City, Japan, Aug. 5, 2016. The festival gave Yokota members an opportunity to build friendships with the local community while experiencing Japanese culture. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe/Released)