Tanabata Star Festival in Misawa a success

Fukinagashi (windsock decorations for Tanabata Star Festival)

Tanabata Star Festival (Photo by Yoshihito Morita/Stripes Japan)

Hundreds gathered near Misawa for the annual Tanabata festival known for its beautiful streamers and colorful decorations.

The festival from July 24-26 marked the reunion of two stars, Vega and Altair. According to the legend with Chinese origins, the two stars are separated by the Milky Way and only reunite once a year on July 7.

All over Japan, cities, towns and communities will celebrate the romantic Tanabata with lots of fun activities, festival foods and games.

Though it is usually held on the seventh day of the seventh month, some regions including Aomori, Sendai and Akita celebrate it in accordance with old lunar calendar’s date which this year falls on Aug. 19.

Misawa City’s festival was held along the one-kilometer-long shopping arcade around Misawa Air Base and featured 40 bamboo decorations, about 100 food booths and various live performances. Though the weather was not optimal, many made their way to the area to enjoy the annual festivities.

“Fortunately, it was a cool or even chilly day,” Yoshihito Morita, a Misawa Commissary employee who visited the event said, “so, I was able to enjoy the bamboo decorations waving in the cool breeze in a lovely atmosphere, which made me feel as if time was gently flowing by to the two lovers’ rendezvous.”

More about Tanabata, check out https://japan.stripes.com/travel/tanabata-wishing-on-two-lovers%E2%80%99-legend-july-7.html