Call for wishes What is Tanabata? Tanabata (meaning: evening of the 7th), also known as the Star Festival, is based on a legend about Hikoboshi (Altair) and Orihime (Vega), lovers separated by the Milky Way and allowed to meet only once a year on the evening of July 7. A Chinese festival called Kikkoden appealing certain skills of the hand, such as sawing and calligraphy, was actually held for some time before it was brought to Japan during the Nara Period (8th c.). It is believed, however, that “Tanabata (meaning: weaving machine),” which developed into a summer festival for dedicating woven fabric to ancestral souls, has its origins in Japan. The Reizei Family in Kyoto still holds a festival centered around the original Chinese form around July 7 in the ancient lunar calendar. Kyo-no-Tanabata is an original festival, held in Kyoto in August, around the Tanabata date in the ancient lunar calendar. The main theme of this festival is the making of “wishes” as Tanabata is the day to make your wish once a year according to legend. During this festival, six venues throughout Kyoto City, such as gardens and streets, are beautifully illuminated with a variety of features. The attractions at the Horikawa venue include the “Milky Way of Light,” a tunnel that recreates a star-filled Milky Way, and “Yuzen Nagashi (rinsing dyed fabrics in a river),” an illumination of dyed fabrics floating in a river. The Kamogawa (Kamo River) venue features a number of “Furinto (wind chime lanterns)” in round bamboo baskets and a promenade lined with illuminated bamboo trees. Wishes are made at each venue, online and by mail from all over Japan, and are sent up into the skies above Kyoto. Postcards (100 yen a card) to write a wish on and to hang on a bamboo tree are sold at each venue. The wishes are burnt and sent up into the skies above Kyoto at Gozan Okuribi (bonfire on five mountainsides) ceremonies on August 16, and Otakiage (burning ceremony) held in Kiyomizu Temple, and other places. What is Kyo-no-Tanabata? Postcards are only sold at the Kyo-no-Tanabata venues. Horikawa Site Horikawa Site / Kamogawa Site / Nijo-jo Castle Site / Okazaki Site / Umekoji Park Site / Kitano-Tenmangu Shrine & Kamiya-gawa Site Illumination: 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm 8/5 sat. - 11fri. ◎ The walkway along Horikawa Street(Between Oike St. and lchijo Modoribashi) During the event period, the walkway will allow one-way access (to the north) only. Kamogawa (Kamo River) Site Illumination: 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm 8/5 sat. - 11fri. ◎ Kamo River bank (Bukkoji St. - Oike St.) Kamogawa Summer Festival 2017 Horikawa cha-ya Yuzen Nagashi of Light Horikawa street bonfire festival Stage Exhibition Aug. 7 to 11 Projection Art Aug. 7 to 11 Milky Way of Light (Illuminated) Furinto (Wind Chime Lanterns) Aug. 5 (5:00 pm -10:00 pm) Aug. 6 (5:00 pm - 9:00 pm) Kyo-no-Tanabata Maiko Cha-ya (5:30 pm - 8:20 pm) (three stages, tickets valid for one stage only) Wishes on tanabata Tanabata bamboo decorations and light-up
Transcript
Call for wishes
What is Tanabata?Tanabata (meaning: evening of the 7th), also known as the Star Festival, is based on a legend about Hikoboshi (Altair) and Orihime (Vega), lovers separated by the Milky Way and allowed to meet only once a year on the evening of July 7. A Chinese festival called Kikkoden appealing certain skills of the hand, such as sawing and calligraphy, was actually held for some time before it was brought to Japan during the Nara Period (8th c.). It is believed, however, that “Tanabata (meaning: weaving machine),” which developed into a summer festival for dedicating woven fabric to ancestral souls, has its origins in Japan. The Reizei Family in Kyoto still holds a festival centered around the original Chinese form around July 7 in the ancient lunar calendar.
Kyo-no-Tanabata is an original festival, held in Kyoto in August, around the Tanabata date in the ancient lunar calendar. The main theme of this festival is the making of “wishes” as Tanabata is the day to make your wish once a year according to legend. During this festival, six venues throughout Kyoto City, such as gardens and streets, are beautifully illuminated with a variety of features.The attractions at the Horikawa venue include the “Milky Way of Light,” a tunnel that recreates a star-filled Milky Way, and “Yuzen Nagashi (rinsing dyed fabrics in a river),” an illumination of dyed fabrics floating in a river. The Kamogawa (Kamo River) venue features a number of “Furinto (wind chime lanterns)” in round bamboo baskets and a promenade lined with illuminated bamboo trees.Wishes are made at each venue, online and by mail from all over Japan, and are sent up into the skies above Kyoto.
Postcards (100 yen a card) to write a wish on and to hang on a bamboo tree are sold at each venue. The wishes are burnt and sent up into the skies above Kyoto at Gozan Okuribi (bonfire on five mountainsides) ceremonies on August 16, and Otakiage (burning ceremony) held in Kiyomizu Temple, and other places.
What is Kyo-no-Tanabata?
Postcards are only sold at the Kyo-no-Tanabata venues.
Horikawa Site
Horikawa Site / Kamogawa Site / Nijo-jo Castle Site / Okazaki Site / Umekoji Park Site / Kitano-Tenmangu Shrine & Kamiya-gawa Site
Illumination: 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm8/5 sat. - 11 fri.
◎ The walkway along Horikawa Street(Between Oike St. and lchijo Modoribashi)During the event period, the walkway will allow one-way access (to the north) only.
Kamogawa (Kamo River) Site Illumination: 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm
8/5 sat. - 11 fri.
◎ Kamo River bank (Bukkoji St. - Oike St.)
Kamogawa Summer Festival 2017Horikawa cha-ya Yuzen Nagashi of
LightHorikawa streetbonfire festival
Stage Exhibition Aug. 7 to 11Projection Art Aug. 7 to 11
Kyo-no-Tanabata Maiko Cha-ya (5:30 pm - 8:20 pm)(three stages, tickets valid for one stage only)
Wishes on tanabata Tanabata bamboo decorations and light-up
ACCESS
Horikawa Nijo-jo Castle SiteNear Nijo-jo-mae Station (Subway Tozai Line)Near Nijo-jo-mae Stop (Kyoto City Bus)
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Kamogawa SiteNear Sanjo Station or Gion-Shijo Station (Keihan Railway) 5 minutes on foot from Kawaramachi Station (Hankyu Railway) 5 minutes on foot from Keihan Sanjo Station (Subway Tozai Line)Near Sanjo Keihan-mae Stop (Kyoto City Bus)
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Kitano-Tenmangu Shrine & Kamiya-gawa Site
5 minutes on foot from Kitano-Hakubaicho Station (Randen Kitano Line)Near Kitano Tenmangu-mae Stop (Kyoto City Bus)
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Okazaki Site10 minutes on foot from Higashiyama Station (Subway Tozai Line)Near Okazaki Koen Bijutsukan/Heian Jingu-mae Stops (Kyoto City Bus)
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Umekoji Park Site
15 minutes on foot from Kyoto Station (JR Kyoto Line)15 minutes on foot from Tambaguchi Station(JR Sagano Line)15 minutes on foot from Kyoto Station (Kintetsu Kyoto Line)15 minutes on foot from Kyoto Station (Subway Karasuma Line)Near Nanajo Omiya/Kyoto Suizokukan-mae Stops (Kyoto City Bus)
Kitano-Tenmangu Shrine & Kamiya-gawa
to Kyoto International Conference Center
* Please use public transportation to access the venues.
Ninomaru Garden, one of the gardens that have the most cultural value of all historical gardens still existing in Japan, will be illuminated for a limited period. Visitors can view the subtle beauty of this garden in a new and profound way through this illumination.
Nijo-jo Castle Site Illumination: 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm (Door close at 9:00 pm)
Illumination of Ninomaru Garden, a Special Place of Scenic Beauty
Enjoy a variety of attractions, such as family events and gourmet experiences, with fantastical illuminated moments inspired by fireflies at night in summer.
Illumination design: Hiroshi Naiki, NAIKIDESIGN INC. (lighting designer)
Umekoji Park Site Illumination: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm8/4 Fri. - 13 Sun.
Kyoto Umekoji Tanabata Asobi 2017—Fun in the park at night— Exhibition of votive objects and costumes
Aug. 11 to 13 (4:00 pm to 8:00 pm)Ceremony fee: ¥1,000
Aug. 5 to 16 (9:00 am to 8:00 pm)Ceremony fee: ¥300
Kitano-Tenmangu Shrine & Kamiya-gawa Site Illumination: Sunset to 9:00 pm
8/5 Sat. - 16 Wed.
Torinuke ceremony and general viewing of the Ishi-no-ma room of the Main Hall (National Treasure)
Mitarashigawa River Ashitsuke votive light ceremony
The path from Heian-jingu Shrine to the O-torii gate is illuminated for this limited period. The area of Okazaki Park and along Nijo Street host unique music events, and food stands are set up with the cooperation of restaurants from Okazaki and the surrounding area, creating an alluring and atmospheric night scene in Okazaki.
Okazaki Site Illumination: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm 8/11Fri.- 13 Sun.
Host: Council for the Promotion of the Charms of Okazaki Area, Kyoto
Okazaki Promenade — A feast of sound and stars
◎ Okazaki Park and nearby vicinity
◎ Kitano-Tenmangu Shrine, Kitano-Kamishichiken, Imadegawa St. Kitano Gate Area, Kitano Shopping Street, and Taishogun Shopping Street
◎ Umekoji Park
◎ Inside the Former Imperial Palace Nijo-jo Castle (World Heritage)
* The information above may change. * The photos are for illustration purposes only.
Many other attractions and events have been planned.Host: Kitano Kamiya-gawa Tanabata Executive Committee
