Tanabata Japanese Star Festival 2012

On Saturday July 7th it is Tanabata Day in Japan. In Rotorua we are lucky enough to have the dedicated work of Kobushi Kai, the Rotorua Japanese Community Friendship, who plan a day of Tanabata activities for all the community to enjoy.

Take part in wish writing, a star quiz, traditional styled Japanese tea ceremony, food service, story telling, Tanabata song, a taiko drumming performance by Kiwi Racco, and a shino bue performance.

Children will be helping to create paper decorations for Tanabata day as part of the Rotorua Arts Village School Holiday Programme during the week, and these lovely decorations will be used to make the building beautifully Japanese.

Tanabata means 'evening of the seventh'. It is a Japanese Star Festival derived from the Chinese star festival, Qi Xi. It celebrates the meeting of Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair). The Milky Way a river made from stars that crosses the sky, separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunisolar calendar. Usually the celebration is held at night, but we will be doing a late afternoon thing here!

All welcome.