Online dictionary of history and traditions in Japan: festival

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Tanabata

七夕七夕祭り
alternative words: Tanabata festival, Star festival, Tanabatamatsuri, Tanabata matsuri, Tanabata no sekku, Tanabata sekku
keywords: china , festival
related topics: Sekku , Nebuta
related web sites: http://www.tanabata.net , http://www.senganen.jp/event/tanabata/
explanation: It comes from a Chines legend: the 2 lovers symbolized by Weaver Star (Vega) and Cowherd Star (Altair) are allowed to meet each other on July 7 of each year. The celebration of this legend has become popular because other festivals like Sekku (festival of seasonal change) and Bon (festival of ancestors) fall approximately on the same season. Some regions observe Tanabata in the early August following the old lunar calendar, such as Nebuta festival in Aomori and Tanabata festival in Sendai.

Tango no sekku

端午の節句菖蒲の節句五月の節句子供の日
alternative words: Tangono sekku, Tango festival, Shobu no sekku, Gogatsu no sekku, Children's day, Boy's day, Kodomo no hi, Kodomono hi
keywords: festival
related topics: Sekku , Momo no sekku , Edo period , Japanese doll
related web sites: http://www.sekku.com
explanation: One of 5 sekku. It is celebrated on May 5 of each year. Man taking bath with iris's leave because of its medicinal effect, it is called "Shobu no sekku" (shobu = iris), too. "Bu" of shobu being synonymous to "samurai", it has been transformed gradually to "boy's festival" with decorations of samurai dolls and their objects like armors and flags since Edo period, while farmers have introduced flying carps (Koi nobori): carp being considered a strong fish. It is now a national holiday.

Tsukimi

月見お月見
alternative words: Moon viewing, Moon festival
keywords: china , festival
related topics: Heian period , Edo period , Waka
related web sites: http://www.sci-museum.kita.osaka.jp/~kazu/tsukimi/newtukimi.html , http://www.onishi-g.co.jp/local9-1.htm , http://www.din.or.jp/~furumaya/masumi/fuukei.html
explanation: A custom coming from China and had become popular first among Heian nobility (they made many poems on this festival) before popularized among all the class in Edo period. It consists to admire a full moon in autumn (on August 15 or September 13 in old lunar calendar) on verandah by putting "susuki" (eulalia) and "dango" (flour made dumplings) as offerings. The well known places to admire the moon are Mt Ubasute in Nagano prefecture and Sayono Nakayama in Shizuoka prefecture.

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