Seventh July celebrated as Tanabata Festival, Japanese Festival that originating from Chinese Qixi Festival. It celebrates the meeting of deities Orihime and Hikoboshi. The Milky Way separates these lovers, and they only allowed to meet once a year on the seventh day of seven.

Tanzaku hanging on bamboo tree

On that occasion, people write their wish in a paper (called tanzaku), then hanging in the bamboo tree. In the night of seventh when the deities meet, they may grants your wish.

Last year I joined an event in KIEX in making tanzaku calligraphy as well as the paper decorations with other foreigners living in Kagoshima. Tanzaku and the decorations then hanging in the bamboo tree. We take this picture for memories, because that was my last chance joining this kind of event in Kagoshima.

Me and other foreigners

Soumen and my tanzaku

After finishing the events, we all take the pictures outside with our tanzaku. Can you read my handwritting anw? ;) But we hope that the deities will grant our wishes tonight ;)

Then we moved the tanzaku outside