Tanabata

Working at NOVA was great for the quiet weekdays off. However, it was around the Summer Festival season last year that I missed many events that fell on the weekend or public holidays; which I had to work on. Now I don't have that problem.

Tanabata, meaning Seven Evenings, is a lovely festival that falls on the 7th of the 7th annually* and celebrates the meeting of two lovers, Orihime and Hikoboshi. Stemming from China, legend has it that the Milky Way divides them and they can only reunite once a year. From Wikipedia:

Orihime (織姫, Weaving Princess) the daughter of the Tenkou (天工, Sky King) wove beautiful clothes by the bank of the River of Heaven (天の川 Amanogawa). Her father loved the cloth that she wove and so she worked very hard every day to weave it. However, she was sad that because of her hard work she could never meet and fall in love with anyone. Concerned about his daughter, Tenkou arranged for her to meet Hikoboshi (彦星, Cow Herder of the Stars) who lived and worked on the other side of the Amanogawa.

When the two met, they fell instantly in love with each other and were shortly married. However, once married, Orihime no longer would weave cloth for Tenkou and Hikoboshi allowed his cows to stray all over Heaven. In anger, Tenkou separated the two lovers across the Amanogawa River and forbade them to meet. Orihime became despondent at the loss of her husband and asked her father to let them meet again. Tenkou was moved by his daughter’s tears and allowed the two to meet on the 7th day of the 7th month 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. If it rains, the magpies cannot come and the two lovers must wait till next year.

To celebrate this, Hiratsuka City - South of Yokohama - sets up a big event. I've never seen such a massive festival before. The usual teens in their summer dresses were out and about. There was even a fight, and look at my friend on the right overlooking the proceedings - very traditional I think not.

I was slowly shuffling forward at parts because it was so crowded. The area was spread over about 6 intercrossing gridded roads with decorations overhanging them. These streamers are made of plastic or paper and hang down so that you walk through them. They are either sponsored by shops, have famous characters/celebrities on them, or are simply traditional.



There was also the usual festival food, including baked potatoes in plastic tubs. Which makes me wonder, especially considering their popularity, why Japan doesn't have these sized potatoes the whole year round?


Another feature is that festival-goers write wishes onto pieces of paper or bamboo and hang them up. Back in the Edo period, girls wishes would revolve around better sewing ability and boys for neater handwriting.



These beetles are Summer pets for children. Gross. But they're popular, and even Keiko had two when she was young. Kids were fishing to win them.



It also made me realise that I love being taller in comparison here - photos are a lot easier to take, as is the view.


As the sun came down, and more people came out to see the proceedings - there must've been a good 100,000 or so - the decorations lit up. Very cool. I wish photos could show the sheer massiveness of the display.



Famously, Sendai (Keiko's home) celebrates Tanabata in August. And that brings my entry full circle; next week there is a Bank Holiday Monday (Marine Day), so we're going to Sendai for an extended weekend. Bless my normal working shift.

*this year being extra special 7/7/07.