Tanabata Festival - the holiday of the dead in Japan
Tanabata Festival is a Japanese stargazing festival, originating from the Chinese festival of Qixi (Niu Lang Zhi Nu).
This festival celebrates the meeting of the two gods Orihime and Hikoboshi (representing the constellation Virgo and the constellation Niu Lang). Every year on July 7th in Japan, people hold a star festival, also known as Qixi Festival
The Japanese Tanabata festival has its roots in the legend of the daughter who weaved the Milky Way, about a love being separated, and only on this 7th of July, two stars at the ends of the Milky Way. newly merged.
According to the story, the Jade Emperor God had a daughter whom he loved very much, named Tanabata-tsume (Orihime) who specialized in silk weaving. One day, when she saw a very handsome cowherd named Hikoboshi passing by, she fell madly in love with him. Her father then gave her to a cowboy. The two were so in love with each other that they just roamed around all day and refused to do anything, the girl forgot the loom and the boy's cow wandered around in the sky.
The gods were very angry and forced them to live at both ends of the Ngan river. Once a year, they were only allowed to meet on the seventh of July every year, for the sky to clear. If it rains, it means that the river in the sky is too high and the birds cannot bridge the bridge together for the boy and the girl to meet.
The customs and traditions associated with the Japanese Tanabata festival have varied by region of the country, but whatever the location, this festival has one thing in common: it is a place for people to send their prayers and hope. That wish will come true.
Currently in Japan, on the days of Tanabata festival, it is customary to write prayers on a small piece of paper and then hang them on a bamboo branch, sometimes with decorations.
Bamboo plants and decorations are often put on a boat to float on the river or burned after this festival is over. The main color to decorate bamboo branches according to the theory of five elements, that is, includes 5 colors green, pink yellow, white and black. In addition, many couples in love also go to temples to pray, hoping to find their soul mate.
