July 7th Tanabata

On July 4th we celebrate Tanabata. Tanabata( the Star Festival) is held on the evening of July 7. Its origins belongs to an old Chinese legend that the Cowherd Star (Altair) and Weaver Star (Vega) lovers were separated by the Milky Way and they are allowed to meet just once a year - on the seventh day of the seventh month. (in some other area, they have it in August)
The legend goes as follows:
A long time ago, TEN-KOU, the god of the sky, had a daughter called ORIHIME. Everyday she wove cloth for the Gods with a special machine called TANABATA.
TEN-KOU was worried because his daughter worked every day and did nothing but weave. So he introduced her to a guy on the other side of the river named Milky Way. His name was HIKOBOSHI. He took care of cows. When they met each other, they fell in love immediately, and spent all their time together. As a result, all the cows became sick and the gods' clothes became worn out, but there was no new cloth to make more.
This made TEN-KOU very angry and he stopped ORIHIME from meeting HIKOBOSHI anymore by taking her to the other side of Milky Way. This made the two lovers so sad that they couldn't work. TEN-KOU also felt sorry, so he decided to let them meet each other once a year on July 7th if they worked hard. Now, they work as hard as before and look forward to seeing each other only once a year.

Traditionally, people wished the sky would be clear on that day so the two could meet over the Milky Way. If it rained that day, the water level of the river Milkey Way got too high and could not be crossed. Eventually they have to wait for another one more year. Isn't it sad but romantic!

Though the legend was brought to Japan from China, at first it became a popular event among Imperial court people presenting one another his poem and then it was gradually modified and widely celebrated hundreds years ago among local people in various areas as the present style we celebrate Tanabata in Japan.

Today at many shopping malls and department stores, they prepare big bamboo trees and colorful papers for Tanabata Day.
Children and adults write their own wishes on narrow strips of colored paper and hang them along with other paper ornaments on bamboo branches. We place in the backyards or entrances of their homes wishing that our dreams and wishes come true.
( on the children's floor at the department store )
In advance before Tanabata, kids at kindergartens make their own Tanabata decorations and bring them back home. At this time of the season, just before going into the summer vacations, many kindergartens have the parents day and we come home together along with each Tanabata bamboo decoration.
Yes, as you see the date on the photo above, these two pictures are ones of my two children. I just can't believe that they once were sooooo cute. My son in the pictures was 5 and my daughter was 3 . She was so happy to visit her brother at his kindergarten. Long time ago-----yet sweet memories.