2022 七夕祭り Wish Upon a Tanabata Star Celebration - Make a Wish & Turn it Into a Tanzaku Decoration With a Personalized Message #JCCCNCNEW

With beautiful colored streamers, lanterns, and paperstrips, or tanzaku, imbued with the hopes, wishes, and dreams of many, Tanabata is easily one of Japan’s most aesthetic cultural holidays. However, it is also important that we learn the history, folklore, and cultural significance of Tanabata to facilitate the preservation of tradition and cultivate a deeper understanding and connection between our community and their cultural roots.

Tanabata, also known as “star festival,” translates to “evening of the 7th,” and takes place every year on July 7th, celebrating an old folk legend of love in the stars. Princess Orihime, daughter of the God of the Heavens, was the most skilled cloth weaver in the Milky Way. She spent day and night by the river bank creating beautiful pieces of clothing, but in dedicating herself to this task, fell into a deep sadness, fearing that she would never find love. Sympathetic to his daughter’s sorrow, Princess Orihime’s father introduced her to Hikoboshi, a cow herder from the other side of the river, and upon meeting, they fell in love instantly. However, being so infatuated and captivated by one another, Princess Orihime and Hikoboshi began to neglect their responsibilities, angering the God of the Heavens. Out of punishment, Princess Orihime’s father forbade her from seeing Hikoboshi ever again. As furious as the God of the Heavens was, he could not bear his daughter’s sadness and made the exception that once a year, on July 7th, Princess Orihime and Hikoboshi could be together. On the long-awaited day, the Milky Way was too difficult for both lovers to cross, so a flock of magpies created a bridge for them to reunite; however, legend says that when it rains on Tanabata, the magpies do not come and the lovers have to wait another year to embrace one another.

The story of Tanabata, while bittersweet, reminds us of the power and importance of things like love, hope, wishes, and dreams. This year, the Center invites you to participate in our “Wish Upon a Tanabata Star” celebration, where everyone will be able to make a “wish” for the future, whatever that may be, and have it turned into a tanzaku decoration with a personalized message. All tanzakus will be hung on the Center’s Tanabata display for the whole month of July. Please join us in celebrating Tanabata this year!

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