Tanabata Festival 

Tanabata (Star Festival) is a traditional Japanese festival based on a romantic legend that dates back more than 1,000 years. According to the story, two celestial lovers—Orihime (the Weaving Princess), represented by the star Vega, and Hikoboshi (the Cowherd), represented by the star Altair—were separated by the Milky Way because they neglected their duties after falling in love. They are allowed to meet only once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month, if the skies are clear.

Today, Tanabata is celebrated throughout Japan as a festival of hope, wishes, and community. People write their wishes on colorful strips of paper called tanzaku and hang them on bamboo branches, believing their hopes and dreams may come true. The wishes can be about health, success in school or work, happiness, peace, or personal goals.