Saturday, July 10, 2010

Tanabata Festival @ Jishu Shrine

July 7 is Tanabata, or Star Festival. The festival traces its origins to a legend that the Cowherd Star (Altair) and Weaver Star (Vega), lovers separated by the Milky Way, are allowed to meet once a year on July 7.

The Jishu Shrine in Kiyomizu Temple, which is very famous for match making, especially get crowded on this day with girls who wish to succeed in love.

A pair of doll shape tanzaku (=paper strips) can be purchased at 500 yen at the Shrine. And you write down your name on one tanzaku, and your partner's name on the other tanzaku, wishing for a good match.

Bamboo trees, decorated with a lot of paper doll couples, in the shrine are very unique.

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