On July Seventh we celebrate the Tanabata Festival. The festival itself originated from China and was inspired by the famous Chinese folklore, The Princess and The Cowherd. Children at kindergarten and schools will write a wish on a piece of paper which will then be hung onto a bamboo tree - a typical decoration for Tanabata.Source: Wikipedia, Tanabata - The Story of The Princess and The Cowherd
Orihime (the Weaving Princess), daughter of the Tentei (Sky King or King of Universe), wove beautiful clothes by the bank of the Amanogawa (Milky Way, believed to be the "heavenly river"). Her father loved the cloth that she wove and so she worked very hard every day to weave it.
However, Orihime was sad that because of her hard work, she could never meet and fall in love with anyone. Concerned about his daughter, Tentei arranged for her to meet with Hikoboshi (Cow Herder Star), who lived and worked on the other side of the Amanogawa. When the two met, they fell instantly in love with each other. Enjoying each other's company, Orihime no longer was keen in working hard, while Hikoboshi let his cows to stray all over Heaven. In anger, Tentei separated the two lovers across the Amanogawa and forbade them to meet. At the loss of her lover, Orihime asked her father to let them meet again. Tentei was moved by his daughter's tears and allowed the two to meet on the Seventh of July, only if Orihime worked hard and finished her weaving. The first time they tried to meet, however, they found that they could not cross the river because there was no bridge. Orihime cried so much that a flock of magpies came and promised to make a bridge with their wings so that she could cross the river.
It is said that if it rains on Tanabata, the magpies can not come and the two lovers must wait until another year to meet.
2009 today on Tanabata's day, it is sunny and windy, a lovely summer .... children in Japan are so happy to know that Orihime and Hikoboshi can meet tonight (:
The city of Sendai celebrates Tanabata Festival in a very big way, and for many years this celebration has attracted local and international visitors. The celebration does not take place in July but August - this is mainly to accommodate local visitors, attracting family with children who are on holidays during summer.
Japanese site:
I also recommend JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization), an English website, for more information about Japan:
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