The Story of Orihime and Hikoboshi, the Meaning of Tanabata Decorations, and Home Tanabata with Star-Shaped Flowers

July 7th is Tanabata. It is known as a romantic day when Orihime and Hikoboshi meet once a year, crossing the Milky Way. Every year on this day, it is customary to hang colorful strips of paper with wishes written on them and other decorations on bamboo leaves, praying to the stars.

Many of you may have made decorations from colored paper or written wishes on strips of paper and hung them on bamboo as children. In fact, Tanabata is one of the "Gosekku" (five seasonal festivals), alongside the Peach Festival and the Boys' Festival, and is properly called the "Shichiseki no Sekku", an important seasonal milestone.

In this column, we will meticulously unravel the story of Tanabata, which you might think you know but actually don't, and the meanings embedded in its decorations. We will also introduce ideas for Tanabata flowers that can be enjoyed indoors, as well as gift-giving occasions perfect for Tanabata.