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TANABATA festival

7th July is TANABATA.
According to an old Chinese story, there was a couple loving each other, HIKOBOSHI and ORIHIME.
They had been played together without doing inportant work,
so they were separated by the God with the Milky Way in the sky.

HIKOBOSHI and ORIHIME cried every day doing nothing
and the situation became worse in spite of the God's intent.

So, the God desided to allow them to see once a year,
which day is 7th July.

The couple changed their minds and started to work very hard
looking forward to see each other on that day, TANABATA.

We came to one of the most popular temples in Kyoto, KIYOMIZU-DERA,
where held a TANABATA event.

People write their dream down on a card, TANZAKU, wising it becomes true
and hung on a bamboo branches.

This shrine, JINUSHI-JINJYA, is very famous for girls
who wish to succeed in love.

The shape of TANZAKU here is very unique.
It's Japanese traditional wooden doll, KOKESHI.

Next, here comes...

KODAIJI which is a nice temple.

The fantasy event is loved by many small children.

Children have to attend the event writing cards and
decorating bamboo ornament as a part of their classes
at kindergartens and schools.

Dreams of grown-up people are often "not-dreamy".
They never wish big dreams for future, because Japanese tend to think to be allowed
to tell dreams for future only when they are children.
So, dreams on TANZAKU are so typical and what we could expect easily,
like "Wish to stay healthy", "Want to get married",...

On the other hand, children are acclamed to tell their dreams by adults,
so they can freely write their TANZAKU,
like "Want to become a succer player" or "Want to be a baker".

I've also found a dream "I want to be able to backflip".
Yes! That's a really nice dream and I'd like to do it, as well.
My heart warmed, but...

there are some funny small dreams of small boys'.
"I don't want my mother get angry at me"
"No more stomachache"
They must be important things for them though,
it's a only chance to wish a big dream a year!