Seoul - August 12th
Japan’s Holiday, Tanabata
Every country has their own special holidays. Well, today I’m going to tell you about Japan’s holiday, Tanabata. Tanabata is celebrated on July 7th. Why? Well, they celebrate Tanabata because of the story that is heard 2000 years ago. It is called Kikkoden. Many years ago in Japan, there was a weaver princess called Orhime and a cow herder called Hikoboshi. When they met, they fell in love and didn’t work. When the king knew that, he became angry, and he separated them. So, Orhime and Hikoboshi could meet only at July 7th, watching by opposite sides of Amanogawa. People believed that Orhime and Hikoboshi can’t meet at rainy day, so they pray for clear weather. So, Tanabata was invented by Japanese people to commemorate this occasion.
They celebrate Tanabata by writing their wishes on a paper called tazaku. Also, they decorate bamboo trees with special paper decorations. They decorate with colorful streamers. They put streamers to symbolize weaving threads. Other decorations are toami (casting net), symbolizing luck for fishing and farming and kinchaku (hand bag) meaning good wealth. They celebrate this festival at night. Also, they sing a song called
“The bamboo leaves rustle,
Shaking away in the eaves.
The stars twinkle;
Gold and silver grains of sand.”
Tanabata festivals in Sendai-city, Miyagi Prefecture and Hirasuki, Kannagawa Prefecture are well known. Because Tanabata festivals in these countries are popular, Tanabata decorations hanging on the main streets attract millions of visitor every year when Tanabata is celebrated.
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