Tanabata Festival

One of Japanese famous festival is Tanabata Festival.

In all over Japan on July 7^th, people celebrate Tanabata, and in stores, shopping spot, stations, and all along main streets, there are full color displays and white paper inscribed with kanji.

Tanabata Festival also known as Hoshi matsuri or star festival. Tanabata, in reality, is a celebration that base from a myth, that is a separated couple and met in Milky Way (Ama no kawa).

Legend said that this festival was based by a love story between two stars, that is weaver star or Vega or Shokujo or Orihime, and herdsman star or Altair or Kengyu or Aquila or Hikoboshi.

Kengyu and Shokujo

God in heaven have a daughter named Shokujo or Vega. Shokujo was always busy, so that her father worried about her loneliness. Someday, her father introduced her to a man named Kengyu or Altair. And than, both of them were in love. Because of it, Shokujo didn’t do her job anymore, that is weaving god’s cloths and Kengyu didn’t herd cows anymore. Shokujo’s father got angry and let them live separated. Shokujo cried all day, and her father worried about it. So that, he let them met once a year on July 7^th night. If it’s rain in festival day, that means Ama no kawa is overflow and block them away. So that, in July 6^th, people pray for them, that is no rain in the Tanabata day. People offer Tanzaku (a paper inscribed wishes) to two stars.

According to history, Tanabata was known in Japan in Nara Age (710-784 M) where at first was celebrated by rich family around palace.

Because Tanabata came from handmade art, so that Tanabata is a celebration for girls to hope for their talent in sewing, weaving, calligraphy, and another handcraft. This was held until Edo age (1603-1876 M). After Edo age, Tanabata celebration was held and enjoyed by common people.

In some areas, people light up the lanterns and float them on river or float bamboo branch on river to throw away their bad luck.

Decoration for Tanabata in Sendai

The most famous city with its Tanabata celebration is Sendai. In Sendai, Tanabata was held in August 7^th. Some citizens also celebrate it between July 6^th or 7^th. But according to year calendar, it was celebrate on July 7^th.

Tanabata tree and wishes paper

In this day, they celebrate Tanabata in temples and so many people pray there to get good luck in marriage. They also write their wishes – sometime a poem – in a colored paper (Tanzaku) and tied it on bamboo branch