Tanabata

Tanabata (Japanese七夕, literally: seventh evening or棚 机, German Vega ) is celebrated every July 7th in Japan; originally on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar.

On this day, the two star Vega ( the constellation Lyra ) and Altair meet ( constellation Aquila ) in the sky. According to ancient Chinese tradition (Chinese七夕, Pinyin Kwee ), these stars represent a couple who is separated throughout the rest of the year through the Milky Way.

Background

The Tanabata is of Chinese origin and is reminiscent of a cattle herders (Ch牛郎, Niu Lang, Japanese彦 星, Hikoboshi, dt male star) and a weaver (Ch织女/织女, Zhi nǚ, Japanese织 姫, Orihime, dt. weaver princess) who were exiled separated on both banks of the Milky Way, because their love for their diligence to very impaired.

The most common version of the story is: Orihime, the daughter of the sky god, was an industrious weaver. To give you respite from work, she was married by her father with the cattle herders Hikoboshi. They were so in love that about both forgot their work - the cattle were sick and the sky God got new clothes more. Moreover, he was so angry that he on the other side of the great river ( the Milky Way ) banished Hikoboshi. But because they could still do not work with grief, they may meet once a year - on Tanabata. When it rains on that day, the river is too wide and too deep and can not be crossed.

On the eve of 7 July bamboo trees are set up, in which pieces of paper are hung with wishes, hoping that this would fulfill a result.

The British Japan connoisseur Basil Hall Chamberlain writes in his 1890 published "ABC of Japanese culture ":

"The stars are far less admired in Japan and sung than in Europe. The only notable fable that has something to do with the stars, is that which is based on the festival called Tanabata. This fable, which is of Chinese origin, tells the love of a shepherd and a weaver. The Shepherd is a star in the image of Aquila, the weaver is the star Vega. It is on the opposite banks of the " Heavenly River " or the Milky Way and can not come together, except for the seventh night of the moon. This night is sanctified them; Paper strips with poetic effusions in her honor be attached to bamboo canes and placed in different places. According to a version of the legend, the weaver girl was so incessantly occupied with robes for the offspring of the celestial emperor - God, in other words - to make that she had no time to the adornment of the person 's own thinking. Recently, however, was their God, who took pity on her abandonment, the shepherd to marriage, who lived on the opposite bank of the river. From the time but the woman in their work was sloppy. God in his anger forced to, go back over the river, and at the same time forbade her husband to visit her more than once a year. Another version is the pair is as mortals who were married at the early age of fifteen and twelve and died at the age of ninety-nine hundred and three and years. After the death of their spirits flew up to heaven, where the sublime divinity bathes daily in the heavenly river. No mortal can defile him by touch, except on the 7th day of the 7th moon, as the deity, rather than swim, listening to the singing of the Buddhist scriptures. "

Astronomical background

Vega ( Orihime ) and Altair ( Hikoboshi ) are stars in our galaxy the Milky Way. In addition, Deneb marks a dark "bridge" across the Milky Way, where it is obscured by the Northern Coal Sack. The three bright stars form the Summer Triangle. The summer triangle reaches its highest point in the sky in August, which coincides with the original date of the celebration.

Known Festivals

In particular, the Japanese city of Sendai is known for her colorful Tanabata Festival. In the Sendai Tanabata Festival is celebrated but a month later. Prelude to the celebrations, which last from 6 to 8 August, already forms the night before, so on August 5, a very large Japanese Fireworks ( Hanabi ), which can be seen from the park Nishi- kōen.

Known for her colorful Tanabata Festival is also the Japanese city of Hiratsuka.

Hiratsuka 2011

Tanabata 2009

Shopping arcade in Morioka

Kusudama

Kusudama

Sasakazari