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Tanabata

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Tanabata

Tanabata (Japanese: たなばた or 七夕; meaning "Evening of the Seventh"), also known as the Star Festival (星祭り, Hoshimatsuri), is a Japanese festival originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented by the stars Vega and Altair respectively). According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. The date of Tanabata varies by region of the country, but the first festivities begin on 7 July of the Gregorian calendar. The celebration is held at various days between July and August.

Infobox

Significance
Celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi
Date
7th day of the 7th lunar month
2024 date
10 August 2024
2025 date
29 August 2025
2026 date
19 August 2026

Tables

· Story › Names › Characters
Birth name
Birth name
Col 1
Birth name
Orihime 織姫
棚機津女 or 棚機つ女 - Tanabata-tsume
Hikoboshi 彦星
牽牛 – Kengyū ("Cowherd")
Title
Title
Col 1
Title
Orihime 織姫
女七夕 – Me-Tanabata ("Female Tanabata")
Hikoboshi 彦星
男七夕 – O-Tanabata ("Male Tanabata")
Various names and epithets
Various names and epithets
Col 1
Various names and epithets
Orihime 織姫
秋去姫 – Akisari-hime ("Going to Autumn Princess") 朝顔姫 – Asagao-hime ("Morning Glory Princess")糸織り姫 or 糸織姫 – Ito-ori-hime ("Thread-Weaving Princess") 百子姫 – Momoko-hime ("Peach-Child Princess")薫物姫 – Takimono-hime ("Incense Princess")蜘蛛姫 – Sasagani-hime ("Spider Princess") 梶葉姫 – Kajinoba-hime ("Paper Mulberry Princess"), the washi paper made from the paper mulberry 琴寄姫 – Kotoyori-hime ("String Musical Instrument Gathering Princess") 灯姫 – Tomoshibi-hime ("Luminous Bright Light Princess") 妻星 – Tsuma-boshi ("Wife Constellation/ Star") 機織姫 – Hata'ori-hime ("Weaving Princess") 星の妻 – Hoshi-no-tsuma ("Constellation/ Star Wife", i.e.: wife of Kengyū)
Hikoboshi 彦星
飼星 – Kai-boshi ("Herder/ Shepherdman Star")犬飼星 – Inukai-boshi ("Dog Herder/ Shepherdman Star") 牛引星 – Ushihiki-boshi ("Cow-tender Star")
Constellation title
Constellation title
Col 1
Constellation title
Orihime 織姫
女星 – Me-boshi ("Female Constellation/ Star")
Hikoboshi 彦星
男星 – O-boshi ("Male Constellation/ Star")
Orihime 織姫
Hikoboshi 彦星
Birth name
棚機津女 or 棚機つ女 - Tanabata-tsume
牽牛 – Kengyū ("Cowherd")
Title
女七夕 – Me-Tanabata ("Female Tanabata")
男七夕 – O-Tanabata ("Male Tanabata")
Various names and epithets
秋去姫 – Akisari-hime ("Going to Autumn Princess") 朝顔姫 – Asagao-hime ("Morning Glory Princess")糸織り姫 or 糸織姫 – Ito-ori-hime ("Thread-Weaving Princess") 百子姫 – Momoko-hime ("Peach-Child Princess")薫物姫 – Takimono-hime ("Incense Princess")蜘蛛姫 – Sasagani-hime ("Spider Princess") 梶葉姫 – Kajinoba-hime ("Paper Mulberry Princess"), the washi paper made from the paper mulberry 琴寄姫 – Kotoyori-hime ("String Musical Instrument Gathering Princess") 灯姫 – Tomoshibi-hime ("Luminous Bright Light Princess") 妻星 – Tsuma-boshi ("Wife Constellation/ Star") 機織姫 – Hata'ori-hime ("Weaving Princess") 星の妻 – Hoshi-no-tsuma ("Constellation/ Star Wife", i.e.: wife of Kengyū)
飼星 – Kai-boshi ("Herder/ Shepherdman Star")犬飼星 – Inukai-boshi ("Dog Herder/ Shepherdman Star") 牛引星 – Ushihiki-boshi ("Cow-tender Star")
Constellation title
女星 – Me-boshi ("Female Constellation/ Star")
男星 – O-boshi ("Male Constellation/ Star")
· Story › Names › Festival
秋七日
秋七日
Name
秋七日
Transliteration
Aki-nanoka
Meaning
"Seventh day of Autumn"
芋の葉の露
芋の葉の露
Name
芋の葉の露
Transliteration
Imo-no-ha-no-tsuyu
Meaning
"Dew from the leaves of the Yams or Potatoes"
七夕雨
七夕雨
Name
七夕雨
Transliteration
Tanabata-ame
Meaning
"Rain of the Tanabata"
七夕送り
七夕送り
Name
七夕送り
Transliteration
Tanabata-okuri
Meaning
"Embarking Tanabata"
七夕紙
七夕紙
Name
七夕紙
Transliteration
Tanabata-gami
Meaning
"Paper of the Tanabata", i.e. paper which carries the wishes
七夕色紙
七夕色紙
Name
七夕色紙
Transliteration
Tanabata-shikishi
Meaning
"Colored paper of the Tanabata"
七夕竹
七夕竹
Name
七夕竹
Transliteration
Tanabata-take
Meaning
"Bamboo of the Tanabata", i.e. the bamboo that carries the decorations or wishes
七夕竹売
七夕竹売
Name
七夕竹売
Transliteration
Tanabata-take'uri
Meaning
"Bamboo of the Tanabata which offers and carries"
七夕棚
七夕棚
Name
七夕棚
Transliteration
Tanabata-dana
Meaning
"Rack of the Tanabata"
短冊竹
短冊竹
Name
短冊竹
Transliteration
Tanzaku-dake
Meaning
"Bamboo of the Tanzaku"
星今宵
星今宵
Name
星今宵
Transliteration
Hoshi-koyoi
Meaning
"Evening of the Star"
星宮祭
星宮祭
Name
星宮祭
Transliteration
Hoshi-no-miya-matsuri
Meaning
"Festival/ Celebration of the Star Palace" – i.e. the twin star Altair and Vega
星祭
星祭
Name
星祭
Transliteration
Hoshi-matsuri
Meaning
"Star Festival"
Name
Transliteration
Meaning
秋七日
Aki-nanoka
"Seventh day of Autumn"
芋の葉の露
Imo-no-ha-no-tsuyu
"Dew from the leaves of the Yams or Potatoes"
七夕雨
Tanabata-ame
"Rain of the Tanabata"
七夕送り
Tanabata-okuri
"Embarking Tanabata"
七夕紙
Tanabata-gami
"Paper of the Tanabata", i.e. paper which carries the wishes
七夕色紙
Tanabata-shikishi
"Colored paper of the Tanabata"
七夕竹
Tanabata-take
"Bamboo of the Tanabata", i.e. the bamboo that carries the decorations or wishes
七夕竹売
Tanabata-take'uri
"Bamboo of the Tanabata which offers and carries"
七夕棚
Tanabata-dana
"Rack of the Tanabata"
短冊竹
Tanzaku-dake
"Bamboo of the Tanzaku"
星今宵
Hoshi-koyoi
"Evening of the Star"
星宮祭
Hoshi-no-miya-matsuri
"Festival/ Celebration of the Star Palace" – i.e. the twin star Altair and Vega
星祭
Hoshi-matsuri
"Star Festival"

References

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    http://www13.big.or.jp/~sparrow/MIDI-tanabatasama.html
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