Tanabata was introduced to Japan in the 6th and 7th centuries alongside the Chinese calendar. During the Edo period (1603-1868), it became one of the five major seasonal festivals and was known as the Bamboo Festival (Sasa no Sekku) due to the custom of writing wishes on colorful tanzaku paper and hanging them on bamboo.

The festival is rooted in the ancient legend of Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair), celestial lovers separated by the Milky Way, who are allowed to reunite only once a year on July 7th—but only if the skies are clear. The story of the two is as follows:

Orihime - her name meaning “weaving princess” - was a talented weaver. But she was very lonely, because she worked very hard at her craft. Her father, worried about her, introduced her to Hikoboshi, a cowherd, who lived on the other side of the Milky Way. 

They instantly fell deeply in love, married - and ignored their work completely! Orihime made no cloth, and Hikoboshi’s cows wandered wild all over heaven. Angry at them both, Orihime’s father banished them to opposite shores of the Milky Way and never meet again. But Orihime cried so much and begged her father so sadly that he permitted them to meet once a year, on the 7th day of the 7th month, after they both had finished their work.

The first time they tried to meet, Orihime and Hikoboshi could not cross the Milky Way. Orihime cried so much that a flock of magpies came and made a bridge of their wings for the two lovers to meet. However, they can only make the bridge if the skies are clear. A rainy Tanabata means the couple must wait another year to meet.

Because her wish was granted, Japanese people celebrate Tanabata each year by writing their own wishes for the next year on pieces of colorful paper and hanging them on bamboo trees.

Despite centuries of adaptation, Tanabata remains a cherished celebration of hope, perseverance, and artistic expression, with schools and communities across Japan continuing the tradition of decorating bamboo trees with wishes for personal growth and success in the arts.

Our Tanabata Festival is a free to the public, kid-friendly event, full of performances, activities, and crafts that mark the summer festival season's start. To learn more about this year's celebration, follow our Facebook event page here, or read more about it here on our website.