Tanabata the "star festival"

Tanabata, also known as the "star festival", usually takes place on the 7th day of the 7th month of the year, this year will be then on the 7th July. According to (según) a Chinese legend, the two stars Altair and Vega, which are usually separated from each other by the Milky Way (Vía Láctea), are able to (ser capaz de) meet.  As the legend goes, when Orihime, a tireless but lonely seamstress (costurera), was introduced by her father to Hikoboshi, a cow-herder (vaquera)  they fell so deeply in love that each began neglecting (abandonar)  their work. For this they were punished when Tentei created a mighty river, the Amanogawa (天の川) – the Milky Way – permanently separating the two lovers.

       

Tanabata is still celebrated on August 7th in some regions of Japan, though it is celebrated on July 7th in other regions. One of the most popular Tanabata customs (tradiciones) is to write your wishes on a piece of paper, and hang (colgar) that piece of paper on a special bamboo tree, in the hope that the wishes will come true.

    

Colourful Tanabata festivals are celebrated across Japan in early July and August. Among the biggest and most famous ones are the Tanabata Festivals of Sendai in August and Hiratsuka near Tokyo in July. So remember to write some fun wishes. If you wish for your English to improve, remember that you will still have to study hard.