July 7 is the day of Tanabata, or the Star Festival. Japanese children write down their wishes on strips of paper and put them on bamboo trees with colourful ornaments, believing that the stars could make their wishes come true.
During the Edo period (1603 - 1867), Tanabata especially used to be one of the biggest events that people enjoyed most.
At that time, the stars looked so beautiful even in Tokyo that people thought if they put the bamboo trees high up in the sky, they could reach the stars.
So, families and children decorated a bamboo tree with a lot of colourful ornaments, and the town was full of those trees. Each of them were more than 10 meters high. It's like hundreds of big Christmas trees in town.
You can have the spectacular experience of the good old Tanabata in Fukagawa Edo Museum right now. English speaking guides are available in the museum, including members from KEV. The Tanabata exhibition is until July 8th. Don't miss!
Fukagawa Edo Museum :
The mid-19th century town of Edo (old Tokyo) has been reproduced in real size. You can walk throuth the street, touch and feel the buildings and tools of 1840's.
Access: 3 minutes- walk from Kiyosumi Shirakawa Station, Oedo Line (Toei Subway) / Hanzomon Line (Tokyo Metro)
Address: 1-3-28 Shirakawa, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Admission: Adults-300yen, Children-50yen (Child or children must be accompanied by parent or guardian )
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