Tanabata

Image:Wikipedia

Today Japan celebrate Tanabata, 7th July or 7-7. Its a cultural tradition.
On this summer night, in this atmosphere, two brightest stars will cross the bridge on The Milky Way (Bimasakti). They cross only once a year.
The Japanese believe one star is a male named Hikoboshi (Altair) and the other is a female star called Orihime (Vega). These two stars are lovers. They meet for one night a year (on 7th July) and make love till the sun comes out in the morning.
Romantic dont you think!
But unfortunately, if it rains, the sky is not clear and they might not find each other in the whole galaxy of stars.
And in Okinawa today, it is raining. Poor Hikoboshi and Orihime. Maybe this year they don't see each other.

So, even the stars have hard time perpetuating their love, what do you think of lowly people like us!

Traditionally, people in Japan will gather outdoors for picnic but tomorrow is a school day, I doubt they do it tonight.

Every shopping complexes will put up bamboo trees and children write their wishes and tie it on the branches. (Orang Islam tak boleh buat ini, sama dengan buat doa bila tiup lilin atas kek hari lahir. Kita hanya minta doa kepada Allah dan hanya Allah akan makbulkan doa kita...mana pula buluh, tiup lilin boleh makbulkan doa kita...kuat sangat ke power benda Allah itu...chish).

There is one haiku by Basho about this Tanabata thing. People who study this haiku, will feel the rain in the middle of the sky when the two star lovers make love. This haiku has sexual connotation.

The word Basho used is Uchuten or rain in the heaven.

Tanabata no
awanu kokoro ya
uchuten

Now my version of Tanabata

Tanabata sky
my husband sleeps on the couch
with the teevee on.

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