Tanabata
/ˌtɑːnəˈbɑːtə/noun
A Japanese festival held on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, celebrating the annual meeting of the star deities represented by Vega and Altair.
Did you know?Tanabata blends a Japanese weaving tradition with the Chinese Qixi star legend: the lovers are identified with Vega and Altair, separated by the Milky Way and reunited once a year.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient China
Chinese
Qixi (七夕)
“The seventh night; a festival celebrating the celestial meeting of the Weaver Girl and the Cowherd.”
Nara Period, 8th Century
Japanese
Shichiseki (七夕)
“The Japanese reading of the Chinese seventh-night festival, introduced through continental literary and court traditions.”
Ancient Japanese tradition
Japanese
Tanabata (棚機)
“A loom or loom structure raised on a shelf; associated with a ritual weaving maiden who prepared cloth for a deity.”
Heian Period, 9th–12th Centuries
Japanese
Tanabata
“A court observance combining the imported star legend with Japanese weaving, poetry, and seasonal rites.”
Edo Period, 17th–19th Centuries
Japanese
Tanabata
“A popular festival during which people wrote wishes on colored strips of paper and hung them on bamboo.”
Modern English
English
Tanabata
“A Japanese star festival, commonly known as the Japanese Star Festival.”