Star Festival

We celebrate star festival in Japan on July 7^th. By that day, we decorate bamboo branches with paper strips and ornaments to celebrate Altair and Vega’s reunion. We make wishes and write them on the paper strips and it is believed that wishes come true. I saw many wishes in my hometown. Some were serious, romantic and or peaceful, and some were very funny.  I saw a girl making a wish that she wants to be the strongest creature in the world.  A boy wants to be muscular like LeBron James.　This boy wants to be completely somebody else. And this girl wants to be strong, she doesn’t mind if she won’t be a human being. I could not help myself laughing.

The Star Festival is a legend that is originated from China.  It is a story about the two bright stars, Altair and Vega.  Vega is a weaving girl and Altair is a cowherd boy.  Because they loved each other and had so much fun being together, finally they stop working hard.  The king got very angry and separated them by the big river or the Milky Way.  He allowed them to see each other only once a year across the Milky Way on the night of July 7th. (F.T)