Some of the best love stories are the tragic ones, those who aren’t fated to be but are willing to do everything just to be together. Star-crossed lovers, as they call them, are two people who cannot be together under any circumstance even if they want to. This term came from the stars, as they are the ones who are said to be in charge of our fate. In Japanese mythology, there is a couple who were figuratively separated by the stars and people nowadays even celebrate it.
Tanabata means “Evening of the Seventh”. It is a festival celebrated on the seventh evening of the seventh lunar month every year. The two lovers are represented by the constellations Altair and Vega. It is said that when the skies are clear during that time, you can see the two constellations almost overlapping.
Altair and Vega represent the tale of the Cowherder and the Weaver Girl. The Weaver Girl or Orihime is said to be the daughter of the Sky King. She weaves cloths for her father which made the both of them happy but somehow she was sad as she cannot meet anyone else or even fall in love. The Sky King eventually introduced her daughter to the the Cowherder. Soon after, the two fell in love and got married. The Sky King got lonely as he could no longer see her daughter and she could no longer weave cloth for her. The Cowherder also forgot about his cattle and allowed them to roam around the universe. The Sky King was angered and separated the two. Upon seeing her daughter lonely, he eventually agreed to let her meet the Cowherder at the seventh night of the seventh month, given that she will finish weaving cloth for her father. At their first meeting, they cannot go near each other as there was no bridge between the rivers but when as the Weaver Girl cried, several magpies came and made a bridge in order for her to cross the river and see her beloved Cowherder. It is said that when it rains during Tanabata, the two cannot meet.
The date of the festival may vary depending on the location. Some choose to celebrate it in July while some prefer to do it in August. The most famous Tanabata Festival is held in Sendai between the dates August 6-8. Fireworks displays are usually exhibited during the last day of the festival. The first two days are dedicated to festivities, competitions, and matches. The entire town celebrating the Tanabata is filled with decorations and the residents always wear their traditional outfits. There are seven kinds of decorations used in Tanabata: Paper Strips, Paper Kimono, Paper Cranes, Purse, Net, Trash bag and Streamers. These can be seen hanging all around town.
Celebrating the meeting of two star-crossed lovers is a sacred tradition in Japan. Everyone is invited to participate and enjoy the festivities that Tanabata has to offer. Even tourists are amazed by the story of Tanabata and how it is celebrated in Japan.
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