Translation guide
Tanabata is a Japanese star festival celebrating the annual meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi. For an English speaker, it is usually referred to by its Japanese name, but understanding its cultural context and related expressions is helpful.
Referring to the Tanabata festival, its date, or events
The standard Japanese name for the festival. Use this in most contexts.
七夕は七月七日です。
Tanabata is on July 7th.
七夕祭りに行きました。
I went to a Tanabata festival.
Specifically refers to a Tanabata festival event. Use when talking about attending a festival.
仙台の七夕祭りは有名です。
The Sendai Tanabata Festival is famous.
Talking about writing wishes on tanzaku and hanging them on bamboo
The typical activity of writing wishes on colorful strips of paper.
子供たちは短冊に願い事を書きました。
The children wrote their wishes on tanzaku.
Refers to decorating bamboo branches with tanzaku and other ornaments.
短冊を笹の葉に飾ります。
We hang tanzaku on bamboo branches.
Referring to the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi
The two star-crossed lovers in the Tanabata legend.
七夕の伝説は、織姫と彦星の話です。
The Tanabata legend is the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi.
The Milky Way, which separates the lovers except on Tanabata.
織姫と彦星は天の川で隔てられています。
Orihime and Hikoboshi are separated by the Milky Way.
Tanabata is celebrated on July 7th in most places, but some areas follow the lunar calendar and hold it in August. If you're attending a specific event, check the date.