Translation guide
The Star Festival (Tanabata) is a Japanese summer festival celebrating the annual meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi, represented by the stars Vega and Altair. It is observed on July 7th or around August 7th, with colorful decorations, wishes written on tanzaku strips, and various local events.
Referring to the traditional Japanese celebration of Tanabata, including its customs, date, and atmosphere.
The standard Japanese name for the Star Festival. Use this in most contexts when talking about the festival itself.
七夕は七月七日です。
Tanabata is on July 7th.
七夕に短冊に願い事を書きました。
I wrote a wish on a tanzaku for Tanabata.
Emphasizes the festival aspect. Use when talking about a specific Tanabata event or celebration.
仙台の七夕祭りは有名です。
The Sendai Tanabata Festival is famous.
Literally 'star festival'. Can refer to Tanabata or other star-related festivals. Less common and may require context.
この地域では星祭りとして七夕を祝います。
In this region, they celebrate Tanabata as a star festival.
Talking about the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi, the celestial lovers separated by the Milky Way.
The legend of Tanabata. Use when referring to the story behind the festival.
七夕の伝説を知っていますか？
Do you know the legend of Tanabata?
The story of Orihime and Hikoboshi. More specific when you want to mention the characters by name.
織姫と彦星の話はロマンチックですね。
The story of Orihime and Hikoboshi is romantic, isn't it?
Describing the act of writing wishes on colorful paper strips (tanzaku) and hanging them on bamboo branches.
To write a wish on a tanzaku. The core custom of Tanabata.
子供たちは短冊に願い事を書いて笹に飾ります。
Children write wishes on tanzaku and decorate bamboo branches.
Tanabata wish. Use when talking about the content of the wish itself.
七夕の願い事は何ですか？
What is your Tanabata wish?
Referring to the colorful paper decorations, streamers, and bamboo displays associated with Tanabata.
Tanabata decorations. The general term for all the ornaments.
商店街にきれいな七夕飾りが飾ってあります。
Beautiful Tanabata decorations are displayed in the shopping street.
Streamers. The long, colorful paper streamers that represent weaving threads or the Milky Way.
吹き流しが風に揺れています。
The streamers are swaying in the wind.
Bamboo grass. The plant on which decorations and tanzaku are hung.
笹に短冊を結びます。
We tie tanzaku to the bamboo grass.
While Tanabata is officially July 7th, many regions celebrate it around August 7th due to the lunar calendar. The famous Sendai Tanabata Festival is held in August.
Tanabata is not a public holiday in Japan. It is a traditional festival, so businesses and schools operate normally unless it falls on a weekend.
七夕に行って、願い事を書きました。
We went to the Star Festival and wrote our wishes.
七夕飾りがきれいでした。
The Star Festival decorations were beautiful.