::Tanabata::

::Tanabata::

Tanabata (meaning ‘seven evenings’) is a Japanese star festival. The festival is held on July 7th and celebrates the meeting oftwo stars in the sky, Orihime(Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair).

Synopsis:
One day, the emperor’s daughter, Orihime, was sitting beside the river of heaven (Milky Way). She had been weaving because her father, the emperor loved the beautiful clothes that she made. On this particular day, she was very sad because she realized that she had been so busy that she didn’t have time to fall in love. Her father, Tentei, the ruler of the heavens, felt sorry for her and arranged a marriage with Kengyuu (a cattle herder, who lived across the river, the Milky Way).
Their marriage was one of sweetness and happiness from the start; and everyday thereafter they grew happier and happier. But Tentei became very angry, because in spending so much time in their happy
marriage they had begun to neglect their work.
Tentei decided to separate the couple, so he placed them back in their original places, separated by the Milky Way. On only one night of the year would he allow them to meet, the 7th day of the 7th month.
Every year on that day, from the mouth of the river (the Milky Way), the boatman (of the moon) comes
to ferry Orihime over to her beloved Kengyuu. But if Orihime has not done her weaving to the best of her skills and ability, Tentei may make it rain. When it rains, the boatman will not come (because the river is flooded). However, in such a case, Kasasagi (a group of magpies) may still fly to the Milky Way to make a
bridge for Orihime to cross.

In present-day Japan, people generally celebrate this day by writing wishes, sometimes in the form of poetry, on tanzaku (small, rectangular pieces of paper) and tying them on to sticks of bamboo alongside other
decorations.

::Tanabata:: belongs to the following groups:

Japanfluence and Vector Goodness Lounge