Steeped in legend, Tanabata (七夕/ star festival) honors the tale of Orihime and Hikoboshi.
According to folklore, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar.
With the stars aligning for this reunion, wishes are destined to come true. Therefore, on this day, Japanese write their own wishes on colorful paper (tanzaku) and hang them from bamboo branches.
After a two year hiatus, the Tababata celebration returns to the Children’s Museum of Houston!
JASH, in collaboration with the Consulate-General of Japan (CGJ) in Houston, will be giving young Houstonians an opportunity to make a wish for Tanabata on Saturday, July 9 at the Children’s Museum of Houston (CMH).
Storytelling, and craft making experiences have been planned to help us celebrate this auspicious day.
Kamishibai: Hear the legend of Tanabata 七夕 with traditional storytelling in Kids’ Hall.
Tanzaku: Make a wish, write it down on a wish card, and hang it on a bamboo tree in Kids’ Hall.
Origami: Make Tanabata 七夕 themed pieces of art with traditional Japanese paper folding in Kids’ Hall.
JASH and the CGJ need your help making sure the event goes off without a hitch! Shifts will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sign up to volunteer below.
Note: Volunteers will need to complete (i) the JASH volunteer waiver and (ii) the Children’s Museum of Houston’s Vaccination Policy. See buttons below to download forms. The signed forms will be need to be submitted to JASH by Friday, July 8.