Tanabata Festival in Japan
July 7 · Level 3 · #1581 of 2238
Tanabata is Japan's festival of stars and wishes. It tells the story of Orihime, a weaver, and Hikoboshi, a cowherd, separated by the Milky Way and allowed to meet just once a year.
How it is celebrated: people write wishes on colourful paper strips called tanzaku and hang them from bamboo branches. Elaborate paper decorations fill shopping streets, and some cities host large festivals on dates that vary by local tradition.
The legendary couple have real counterparts in the sky: Orihime is Vega and Hikoboshi is Altair. Both stars are visible on summer nights.