Tanabata

Tanabata is a summer event enjoyed on the night of July 7. In the night sky, there are lots of twinkling stars. Everyone looks at the stars and makes wishes. “What a beautiful sky!” “What should I wish for?”

💬 What Is Tanabata?

🤔 There are so many stars in the sky. Which star looks the brightest to you?

At Tanabata, there is a story about Orihime and Hikoboshi. They are stars in the sky. They live on opposite sides of a river of stars called the Milky Way. It is said that on the night of July 7, the two can meet.

💬 Orihime and Hikoboshi

🤔 If Orihime and Hikoboshi could meet, what do you think they would talk about?

At Tanabata, we write our wishes on long, narrow strips of paper. This paper is called a “tanzaku.” “I hope I can play happily and stay healthy.” “When I grow up, I want to be a cake shop owner.” A wish is the “I hope this happens” feeling inside your heart.

💬 Let’s Write a Wish on a Tanzaku

🤔 If it were you, what wish would you write on a tanzaku?

We tie the tanzaku we wrote on to bamboo grass leaves. We also add star decorations and pretty ornaments to the bamboo grass. When the wind blows, the tanzaku sway gently. I hope our wishes reach the stars in the sky. Tanabata is a day to treasure our wishes.

💬 Let’s Decorate the Bamboo Grass and Make a Wish

🤔 The tanzaku are swaying in the wind. Do you think the wishes will reach the stars?