Kyoto Star Festival Tanabata 2014

天の川、足元に浮かぶ　「京の七夕」２日開幕

The Japanese Star Festival known locally as Tanabata is about to kick off in two Kyoto locations.

From August 2 - 11 there will be artistic illumination representing the Milky Way.

In central Kyoto, between Oike Bridge and Shijo Bridge on the Misosogi River - the narrow canal that abuts the restaurants on Kiyamachi and sits between the pedestrian walkway and the Kamo River - there will be illumination.

In addition there will be lighting in the Horikawa Canal, which is farther west.

The illumination will be lit every night between 7 and 9:30 pm.

For those going on bike, parking is available on Oike.

More Tanabata events can be found here.

Photo©Kyoto Shinbun (2013)

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Kyoto Star Festival Events

天の川、足元に浮かぶ　「京の七夕」３日開幕

The Japanese Star Festival known locally as Tanabata is now being celebrated in Kyoto.

Until August 12th there will be artistic illumination representing the Milky Way every evening.

Between Oike Bridge and Shijo Bridge on the Misosogi River - the narrow canal that abuts the restaurants on Kiyamachi and sits between the pedestrian walkway and the Kamo River - 100 LED bulbs will be set up.

The illumination will be lit every night between 7 and 9 pm.

For those going on bike, parking is available on Oike.

More Tanabata events can be found here.

Photo©Kyoto Shinbun

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Tanabata in Suizenji Shrine

水前寺での七夕

Happy belated Tanabata to lovers everywhere.

The actual date of the festival is July 7th.

"Tanbata" means "evening of the seventh" and is the Japanese star festival.

July 7th is the one night of the year when the stars Vega and Altair "meet" on their annual celestial journey.

According to legend, the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi who are depicted, respectively, by Vega and Altair, are separated by the the Milky Way for 364 days of the year. However, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the unrequited lovers meet, if ever so briefly.

In Japan, the festival became popular in the early Edo period.

In general, the festival is celebrated by writing wishes on colorful pieces of paper attached to a strip of bamboo.

Young girls in the past wished to become more proficient at sewing and craftsmanship, while boys hoped for better handwriting.

This photo was taken at Suizenji Temple, which is in Kumamoto.

Today, typical wishes are for health, academic success, business prospects - and of course love.


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