Tanabata, the Seventh Evening, takes place on July 7th. It is a big summer festival where the streets light up with beautiful lanterns. It is a celebration of the stars when the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi meet, or when the stars Vega and Altair cross. It is a romantic festival to commemorate their love story, husband and wife separated and permitted by the gods to meet on the 7th of each month, so on 7/7. You can read the whole story
here.
My personal favorite are the wish trees - bamboo covered with wishes and poems, or tanzaku.
The lanterns hang from bamboo poles.
Less traditional lanterns...
Everyone comes out in their finest yukatas!
Hope you are having a lovely summer!
Photos by me, please credit if you share. Thanks!
oh that looks like so much fun -love the fun colors (and michael jackson, haha)
Hello Ann, The Japanese are such experts at Cute. I also love the American cultural adaptations such as the Beavis and Butthead float.
--Jim
Post a Comment