Tanabata, the Star Festival

Have you ever wished upon a star? If so, then did your wish come true? My mother says that when I was a child, I would often tell her my dream of becoming an astronaut when looking up into the night sky. Astronaut? Because I often said this, she must have secretly expected me to become a scientist or something interesting. Look. What's become of me? O Poor Mother! I hope she didn't think this wish was actually going to come true. I don't remember talking about this wildcat dream long ago, however, I like watching stars even now.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Many legends and myths from different cultures tell charming stories about the Milky Way Galaxy. Japanese people have a poignant love story about two stars of the first magnitude shining on opposite sides of the misty river of the Milky Way flowing across the sky.

Vega and Altair going down to Mt. Fuji

© 栗田直幸（ Naoyuki Kurita ) *

July 7th is Tanabata, the Star Festival in Japan. Tanabata celebrates the reunion of two bright stars; the Orihime (Vega of Lyra, or the Harp), otherwise known as the Weaving Princess, who produces brilliant, colorful fabrics, and the Hikoboshi(Altair of the Eagle), otherwise known as the Cow Herder.

The legend tells they are lovers who were once married. Enraptured by their wedded bliss, Orihime, the star Vega, abandoned her task of weaving and Hikoboshi, the star Altair, abandoned his task of herding cows. Orihime's father, the Sky Lord, became absolutely furious at their neglect of their duties, and separated them on opposite sides of the Heavenly River, however, He later allowed them to get together for only one night each year on this special day of Tanabata.

Tanabata Festival in the Edo period Utagawa Hiroshige (1797- 1858)

Tanabata originated from the Chinese festival Qi Xi, which falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the luni-solar calendar. The most widespread Tanabata custom is to write our wishes on small pieces of colorful paper and hang them on bamboo in hope that the wishes will come true.

My Blogger friend Andrea made a fascinating Tanabata necklace(below). In it, 'the two lovely Swarovski teardrop faceted crystals represent two celestial lovers respectively'.

©Andrea Leite Marques *

In some regions such as Sendai, Tanabata is celebrated on August 7th according to the formerly used lunar calendar. I think it would be better to have the festival in early August because the weather is usually fine at this time. On the other hand, in the Gregorian Calendar which we adopted in 1873, July 7th unfortunately falls during the rainy season.

We hope it will be clear on the 7th of this month and be a starry night. Only if the evening sky is clear and your imagination soars up into the two stars in the night sky, the star-crossed lovers can be reunited.



The bamboo leaves rustle, rustle,

Shaking away in the eaves.

The stars go twinkle, twinkle;

Gold and silver grains of sand.

This old Tanabata song certainly invites you to visit the numerous stars twinkling in the Milky Way. Andrea introduces this song on her blog too.

Orihime Shrine in Ashikaga city

* permissions for reproduction given by Mr. Kurita and Andrea. Thank you.

courtesy : two drawings ©art-kaede by http://www.art-kaede.jp/ used in accordance with the rules.