My TANABATA experience

   Today is the 7th day of the 7th month of the year. For those who are in Japan, I am sure they will be celebrating the TANABATA festival. Tanaba-what? Tanabata is a Japanese tradition wherein people  write their wishes on colorful strips of paper called tanzaku and hang them on bamboo branches.Tanabata is celebrated on July 7th of each year. Being a closeted hopeless romantic, a festival that is based on a love story surely hits the spot. click here to read the full story of Tanabata festival's origin.

  

   I was giddy with excitement when I learned some time late last June that our station will participate in the Tanabata festival. I wanted to learn more about the event so I googled it right away. I immediately looked for a bamboo tree supplier and gave the information to our supervisor. After learning that origami can also be hanged on the bamboo tree , I spent a whole afternoon looking for origami crane-making tutorials on you tube. I got more excited when we were shown the  tanzakus that was brought in from Japan. who wouldn't want to write their wishes on these dainty looking pieces of paper?

   We actually had the bamboo trees available for wish hanging for two days, July 6 and 7, but since I would want to hang my wish on the exact date of the festival, I held on to my wish and only placed them on the bamboo tree this morning.  I placed a chain of origami crane because I read that hanging one means wishing for  safety and health of family and longlife! a 3-in-1 wish! lovely! Have a look at how our trees looked like after it was decorated by wishes:

passengers hanging their tanzakus being assisted by yukata wearing staff

my crane!

colorful wishes

my two lovely co-workers wearing Japanese traditional summer outfit  called yukata

wishes wishes wishes!

   A lot of the passengers , specially those who have experienced this for the first time gamely participated and wrote down their heart's desires on the tanzaku. Aside from providing the bamboo trees, we also distributed fans to passengers and since this celebration is also known as the star festival in Japan, star-shaped cookies were also given to the passengers. After the flight, the bamboo trees were kept in the office. The wishes hanged on the trees will be collected and sent to Japan and will serve as an offering to a shrine. 

   I hope that my wishes will be granted.. I also wish that we get to do this again next year!