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THE STAR FESTIVAL

July 7th is the day of the Star festival in Japan.

· CULTURE

According to Chinese legend, a god separated a pair of stars(Vega and Altair) that were lovers and put the Milky Way between them. The only chance they have to see each other is on the night of July 7th. The Star festival, Tanabata, has been held since the Edo period. People write their wishes on strips of colored paper, hang them on the branches of leafy bamboo stems. Many people pray for good weather on July 7th, because if it rains, Vega and Altair will not be able to meet up. People also wish something for them together. We recently see the Tanabata bamboo decoration on supermarkets and shopping malls.

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