Musashimurayama Hanami

Fussa Tanabata Matsuri

The Japanese Tanabata Matsuri celebrates a folk tale about two tragic celestial deities. The two lovers, Orihime and Hikoboshi, are cursed to remain apart except for one day every year. Orihime, daughter of the heaven god, is the star Vega, while Hikoboshi is the star Altair. The legend originated in China over 2,000 years ago. 

Today, Japan's star festivals involve folk dances, traditional food, traditional yukata, kimono, and jinbei clothing, extravagant decorations, and making wishes. People write wishes and poetry on small slips of colored paper, called tanzaku, and tie the slips to bamboo branches.