Star Festival

"Is it Star Festival in Sendai?" my husband said last night.
"OMG. yes, it's the last day of the festival! I had completely forgotten!!"

I can't believe I'd forgotten Sendai Star Festival! When I lived in Sendai, I walked through under the gorgeous paper ornaments' tunnel every year. These colourful ornaments are all handmade using traditional Japanese paper. When I was a high school student, I made some paper crane for a part of the ornaments. New pictures arrived from my mother.

Do you know each these decoration has a meaning? There are seven types of decoration items for tanabata ornament in Sendai. In the picture below, these seven meanings are explained. (From the right);

1. Fukinagashi (Streamers); The symbol of Orihime's weaving yarn.
2. Oriduru (Paper Crane); To pray for family safety, health and long life.
3. Tanzaku (Paper strips); Wishes for improving handwriting skill and studies.
4. Toami (Net); Wishes for good fishing and harvests.
5. Kuzukago (Trash Bag); To pray for cleanliness and thriftiness.
6. Kamikoromo (Paper Kimono); Wishes for improving needlework skill, and also wards off accidents, illness and disaster.
7. Kinchaku (Purse);  To pray for prosperity

Now, you understand the meanings. If you have a chance to visit Sendai during the festival in the future, you may be able to see the ornaments in a different way.