Tanabata,The Event of Lomantic Legend

Tanabata, also known as the Star Festival, is a traditional Japanese celebration that takes place on July 7th. The festival originated from a Chinese legend about two lovers.

It also includdes the chinese event of praying for improvement of sewing and calligraphy, which is named the Kikkouden.

The Legend of Tanabata

There is a legent of Tanabata. It is the story of 2 stars, Vega and Altair.

Once upon a time, there was a young woman named Orihime(vega), the daughter of a god, who worked as a weaver, and a young man  named Hikoboshi(Altair), who took care of cattle.
They got married, but soon they stopped working and started living a carefree life. Angry with their behavior, the god separated them by creating the Milky Way.
The couple was filled with sadness, and the god promised that if they worked diligently, they would be allowed to meet once a year.
They started working hard, and as a result, they were granted permission to cross the Milky Way and meet each other once a year. This became the origin of the Tanabata festival.

The Tanabata Bamboo Decoration

One of the most iconic aspects of Tanabata is the decoration of bamboo branches with colorful paper strips. These strips, called “tanzaku,” are adorned with wishes written by people of all ages.

This custom originated among the nobility under the influence of China.
The act of hanging strips of paper with written wishes on bamboo is believed to be a way to deliver those wishes to the heavens.
By the way, it is said that the culture of Tanabata (Star Festival) spread among the common people during the Edo period and it became popular to write wishes on narrow strips of paper and hang them on bamboo for enjoyment during this time.

My family also decorates a small bamboo grass every year, and each member writes their wishes on strips of paper and hangs them. The wish I wrote this year is “May life become more and more enjoyable!” Please enjoy Tanabata