Commentary by Hank F. Miller Jr.
Tanabata, or Star festival, is celebrated on July 7th. it originated in China and is based on a legend that two stars-Altair, the Cowherd Star, and Vega, the Weaver Star-are allowed to cross the Milky Way, and meet on this special night of the year. The legend says that Altair, the patron of agriculture, and Vega, patroness of silkworm raising and weaving, were passionately in love, but that god didn\’t like it and placed them on the opposite sides of the Milky Way.
Praying for the happy reunion of the two stars, many Japanese families with children place branches of cut bamboo decorated with strips of colorful paper bearing poems, romantic aspirations and wishes are then placed in their yards or by their doorways. Nowadays, some cities like Sendai and Tabata here in Kitakyushu take advantage of this opportunity and hold the festival in spectacular fashion to attract tourists from far and wide.
Nearby here in Tabata, the festival starts about 8:00 P.M.
Festival groups carry hundreds of paper lanterns mounted on very high frames and are colorfully decorated. These lanterns are all lit and carried while the men in the festival dance and recite poetry in a song fashion. During the darkness of night these lanterns are very beautiful. This is a very exciting experience for everyone.
Warm Regards from Kitakyushu City, Japan
Hank F. Miller Jr. ,
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