七夕祭(たなばたまつ)り

たなばたまつり
noun
Tanabata festival; Star Festival
culture
1. Tanabata festival; Star Festival
A festival celebrated on July 7th (or August 7th in some regions) based on the legend of two star-crossed lovers, Orihime and Hikoboshi, who can meet only once a year across the Milky Way.
七夕祭(たなばたまつ)りに行(い)く。
To go to the Tanabata festival.
仙台(せんだい)の七夕祭(たなばたまつ)りは日本(にほん)で最(もっと)も有名(ゆうめい)だ。
Sendai's Tanabata festival is the most famous in Japan.
七夕祭(たなばたまつ)りの夜(よる)、子(こ)どもたちが短冊(たんざく)に願(ねが)い事(ごと)を書(か)いて笹(ささ)に飾(かざ)った。
On the night of the Tanabata festival, the children wrote their wishes on paper strips and hung them on bamboo branches.

A compound of 七夕(たなばた) (Tanabata; the seventh evening) and 祭(まつ)り (festival). The festival originates from a Chinese legend about the weaver princess 織姫(おりひめ) (Vega) and the cowherd 彦星(ひこぼし) (Altair), separated by the 天(あま)の川(がわ) (Milky Way) and allowed to meet only on the seventh day of the seventh month. The most iconic tradition is writing wishes on colorful paper strips (短冊(たんざく)) and hanging them on bamboo (笹(ささ)).

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 七夕(たなばた): Tanabata — the day/event itself, without the festival context
  • 星祭(ほしまつ)り: Star Festival — an alternative name, emphasizing the celestial legend
  • 盆踊(ぼんおど)り: Bon dance festival — another major summer festival, associated with the Obon season

Related Words

Compare: 盆踊(ぼんおど)り (Bon dance festival)
general
Added 2026.4.28 23:16 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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