“Tanabata” Digital Print on Hahnemuehle Photo Rag 308 gsm (100% acid 
free cotton) 
Size : 250mm x 250mm.
Andrea Innocent (a.k.a innocentgirl), 2006.

All images © Andrea Innocent 2005 - 2008

Tanabata (meaning ‘seven evenings’) is a Japanese star festival.
The festival is held on  July 7th and celebrates the meeting of 
Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair).

Synopsis:
One day, the emperor's daughter, Orihime, was sitting beside the river 
of heaven (Milky Way). She had been weaving because her father, 
the emperor loved the beautiful clothes that she made. On this particular 
day, she was very sad because she realized that she had been so busy 
that she didn't have time to fall in love. Her father, Tentei, the ruler of the 
heavens, felt sorry for her and arranged a marriage with Kengyuu (who 
lived across the river, the Milky Way). Their marriage was one of sweetness 
and happiness from the start; and everyday thereafter they grew happier 
and happier. But Tentei became very angry, because in spending so much 
time in her happy marriage, Orihime was neglecting her weaving. Tentei 
decided to separate the couple, so he placed them back in their original 
places, separated by the Milky Way. On only one night of the year would 
he allow them to meet, the 7th day of the 7th month. Every year on that 
day, from the mouth of the river (the Milky Way), the boatman (of the 
moon) comes to ferry Orihime over to her beloved Kengyuu. But if Orihime 
has not done her weaving to the best of her skills and ability, Tentei may 
make it rain. When it rains, the boatman will not come (because the river is
flooded). However, in such a case, Kasasagi (a group of magpies) may still 
fly to the Milky Way to make a bridge for Orihime to cross.

In present-day Japan, people generally celebrate this day by writing wishes, 
sometimes in the form of poetry, on tanzaku (small pieces of paper) and 
hanging them on bamboo, sometimes with other decorations.