Photos by Yoshihito Morita ()
Every year in Japan, cities across the country go all out for Tanabata, a festival celebration the annual meeting of star-lovers, Vega and Altair. According to the legend with Chinese origins, the two stars are separated by the Milky Way and only allowed to meet once a year on July 7.
Also known as the Star Festival, this is one of the most romantic festivals of the year. This year, Misawa celebrated its Tanabata from July 28 to July 30.
For Tanabata, the Omachi Shopping Arcade was closed to traffic and decorated with colorful bamboo branches and ornaments. Visitors wrote their wish on a slip of colored paper called tanzaku, then tied it to one of the bamboo branches, as it is believed that the two star lovers grant the wishes.
The festival featured around 100 food and drink booths, plus a variety of performances including a brass band, a dance contest and more.
