Star Festival in Japan ― Date, History, and Details
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Let's dive deeper into learning more about the history of Star Festival in Japan and why people celebrate or observe it.
History of Star Festival in Japan and How to Celebrate/ Observe It
The Star Festival, also known as Tanabata, is a Japanese festival that celebrates the annual meeting of the stars Vega and Altair. The festival is held on the seventh day of the seventh month of the year, and traditionally features paper lanterns and streamers decorated with wishes written on them.
Tanabata originates from a Chinese legend about two lovers, the weaver girl Orihime and the cowherd boy Hikoboshi. The two lovers were separated by the Milky Way and were only able to meet once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month.
In Japan, the festival is usually celebrated with a feast and the making of wish lanterns (tanzaku). Families write their wishes on strips of paper and hang them from bamboo branches. The lanterns are then set afloat on rivers or in the sea, symbolically sending the wishes up to the stars.
The Star Festival is a popular time for festivals and fireworks displays. In some regions of Japan, it is also customary to eat star-shaped fruits and vegetables, such as watermelons and cucumbers.