Tanabata: Japan's New Summer Valentine's Day

I saw this sign at a local sweets shop on my way from home last night. July 7 is Tanabata in Japan and celebrates a romantic tale of two star-crossed lovers who can only meet once a year. So the Valentine's Day connection kinda makes sense (although Valentine's Day in Japan is more about giri choco and reciprocity than romantic love). At first I thought that the photo was of tako yaki and I wondered why a sweets shop would be selling tako yaki? But then I remembered an article from last year about a study that suggests being able to make tako yaki gives one an advantage in being attractive and more successful in the game of love.

"Want to be popular with the ladies/men? Be good at making takoyaki, study says"

URL: https://soranews24.com/2019/01/08/want-to-be-popular-with-the-ladies-men-be-good-at-making-takoyaki-study-says/

However, a closer inspection of the of the product in the photo shows that it is a sweet egg tart. Oh well. Another lesson about rushing into assumptions in anthropological research...

For more on the celebration of Tanabata in Japan, see "七夕 @ 機物神社 (Tanabata Festival at Hatamono Shrine)" @ VAOJ.

URL: https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2012/07/tanabata-festival-at-hatamono-shrine.html

七夕 @ 機物神社 (Tanabata Festival at Hatamono Shrine)

July 7 (7/7) marks the Tanabata Festival that is celebrated in various parts of Japan. It is based opon a romantic tale of two star-crossed lovers who can only meet once a year - as such it is a day for Japanese people to make wishes. For more information see the following two links:

Tanabata, from the Festivals of Shinto: http://www.psychicsophia.com/aion/chap7.html

Orihime, Kengyuu, and Tanabata - Adapting Chinese Lore to Native Beliefs and Purposes: http://www2.gol.com/users/stever/orihime.htm

These photos were taken at a famous version of the festival at the Hatamono Shrine in Katano-shi, Osaka. Despite the threat of rain, a colorful and wonderful time was had by all.

Link to more Tanabata @ Hatamono photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/visual.gonthros/Tanabata77?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Link to Hatamono Shrine web page (in Japanese): http://murata35.chicappa.jp/meisho/hatamono/index.htm