The Tanabata Festival on July 7th is held all over Japan as a summer tradition. It is common to write wishes on strips of paper and hang them on bamboo, and there are festivals associated with it all over the country. In this article, we introduce the three major Tanabata festivals held in Japan and the original meaning of Tanabata. Be sure to use this article as a reference and enjoy the once-a-year Tanabata in Japan!
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What is the Tanabata Legend?
The Tanabata legend commonly imagined in Japan was born in ancient China. The Emperor of Heaven, considered the most venerable god in the sky, had a daughter named Weaver Girl. Weaver Girl was in charge of weaving the cloth for the gods' clothes, and she diligently wove at the edge of the Milky Way every day. Feeling sorry for Orihime, who neither played nor had a lover, the Emperor of Heaven introduced her to a serious young man named Cowherd, who kept cows on the opposite bank of the Milky Way. Eventually, the two got married.
After getting married, the two spent their days playing. As Weaver Girl stopped weaving, the gods' clothes became ragged, and as Cowherd stopped taking care of the cows, they fell ill. Angered by this, the Emperor of Heaven separated the two on either bank of the Milky Way, but they were so sad that they cried every day and could not work. Feeling sorry for them, the Emperor of Heaven promised that if they worked diligently every day, he would allow them to meet once a year, on the night of July 7th.
This is the beginning of the Tanabata legend as we know it today. In Japan, the Weaver Girl is called Orihime, and the Cowherd is called Hikoboshi. Orihime is the first-magnitude star Vega in the Lyra constellation, and Hikoboshi is the first-magnitude star Altair in the Aquila constellation. In a dark place in the night sky, you can observe the Milky Way lying between the two stars.
The Tanabata festival in Japan is believed to have originated from the Chinese Tanabata legend and the Kikkoden event mentioned above, which were transmitted to Japan. Tanabata, born from various elements, is also one of the five seasonal festivals in Japan. The five seasonal festivals refer to the five festivals that the Edo Shogunate established as holidays from the festivals that came from China.
- January 7th, Jinjitsu (Seven Herbs Festival)
- March 3rd, Joushi (Peach Festival)
- May 5th, Tango (Iris Festival)
- July 7th, Tanabata (Bamboo Festival)
- September 9th, Chouyou (Chrysanthemum Festival)
If you want to know about other legends transmitted to Japan besides the Tanabata legend, please visit the URL below.
👉 Five Lesser-Known Japanese Folk Tales and Legends
The five seasonal festivals are not only for celebration, but also for the ritual of exorcising evil spirits. So what do people generally do in Japan on Tanabata, which is considered a day to celebrate and exorcise evil spirits? Let's explain in detail.
About the Tanabata Legend in Japan
Tanabata Decorations
When thinking about what to do in Japan during the Tanabata season, the first thing that comes to mind is writing wishes on tanzaku (small pieces of paper) and hanging them on bamboo leaves. The tradition of "writing wishes on tanzaku and hanging them on bamboo leaves to pray" on the night of July 7th every year has been passed down from long ago. Around this time, it is a common sight in towns and in front of stations. Colorful tanzaku and various shaped decorations hanging on bamboo for Tanabata. In the past, it was believed that the higher the decoration, the more likely the wish would reach the stars, so they were hung high up to the roof. There are several types of Tanabata decorations made from origami, called the seven decorations.
Dishes to Eat on Tanabata Day
Also, it is not widely known that there is a special dish for the Tanabata festival. This special dish for Tanabata is somen noodles. There are various theories as to why somen noodles became a dish for Tanabata, such as the influence of sweets brought from China, or because they resemble the threads that Orihime weaves. It is also recommended to eat them with seasonal vegetables such as cucumbers, eggplants, and watermelons to celebrate the summer harvest.
Also, many families eat chirashi sushi on Tanabata. Chirashi sushi is a type of sushi where you spread 'kinshi tamago', which is thinly sliced cooked egg, over vinegared rice and arrange the ingredients to eat. This kinshi tamago, which is reminiscent of longevity and gold and silver, is also eaten at Tanabata celebrations.
What are the Three Major Tanabata Festivals?
During the Tanabata season, Tanabata festivals are held all over Japan. Depending on the region, some places hold it on the old calendar's July 7th, and some around the Obon period in August. The Sendai Tanabata Festival in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, the Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival in Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and the Anjo Tanabata Festival in Anjo City, Aichi Prefecture, are nationally famous as the three major Tanabata festivals in Japan. We will explain the content and background of these three Tanabata festivals.
1. Sendai Tanabata Festival | Miyagi Prefecture
The Sendai Tanabata Festival, said to be the largest in Japan, is counted as one of the three major summer festivals in Tohoku, and is held over three days from August 6th to August 8th every year. During the festival, extravagant Tanabata decorations are displayed on the main streets of Sendai City, attracting millions of tourists from all over the country.
The charm of the Sendai Tanabata Festival lies in its extravagant and dazzling bamboo decorations, some of which reach a height of 10 meters. In addition to tanzaku (strips of paper) with various wishes written on them, the festival is characterized by the "seven decorations" of paper clothes, origami cranes, kinchaku (pouches), casting nets, waste baskets, and streamers. Furthermore, on the eve of the festival, a fireworks display is held to add a touch of glamour to the eve of the Star Festival.
- Location: 3-2 Ichibancho, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi
- Period: Annually from August 6th to August 8th
- Official Website: https://www.sendaitanabata.com/
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2. Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival｜Kanagawa Prefecture
The "Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival" is held in high regard alongside the Sendai Tanabata Festival. It takes place over three days, starting from the first Friday of July. The Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival began in July 1951 when Hiratsuka City, which had suffered devastating damage from the air raids in July 1945, held a Tanabata Festival as a model of Sendai's Tanabata during post-war reconstruction.
At the Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival, in addition to traditional Tanabata decorations, it is characterized by incorporating the trends of the year into the decorations, such as popular people, athletes, characters, etc. In addition, there are events such as a Tanabata decoration contest, parade, haunted house, and various stalls, creating a lively summer festival atmosphere.
- Location: Koyatai-cho, Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture
- Period: Three days on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in early July
- Official website: http://www.tanabata-hiratsuka.com/
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3. Textile Thanksgiving - Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival｜Aichi Prefecture
The "Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival" in Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture, started in 1956 and is now established as one of the three major Tanabata festivals in Japan. The festival is held for four days from the last Thursday in July. The Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival started as a "Textile Thanksgiving Festival in honor of the Tanabata legend of Orihime and Hikoboshi, who are deeply associated with weaving, because the mother deity of the festival deity of the Shinseita Shrine in Owari Ichinomiya is the god of weaving. The Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival is bustling with many tourists every year, with not only gorgeous Tanabata decorations but also events such as dance contests and talk shows.
- Location: 1-2-1 Shinseita, Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture, 1st to 3rd Chome, Honmachi, Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture, 3rd Chome, Sakae, Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture
- 1-1 Shinsei, Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture
- Event Period: July 25th to July 28th (2024)
- Official Website: https://www.138ss.com/tanabata/
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