The Tale of Tanabata: The Love of Altair and Vega

Long ago, in the heavens above, there lived a beautiful and skilled weaver princess named Orihime, who wove the finest garments for the gods. She worked tirelessly on the banks of the Milky Way, weaving cloth so delicate and fine that it was said the stars themselves wore her creations. Orihime, however, grew lonely, for her life was filled only with work, and she had no time for love.

Her father, Tentei, the Sky King, loved his daughter dearly and wanted her to be happy. One day, he arranged for her to meet Hikoboshi, a handsome cowherd who lived across the Milky Way. Hikoboshi was as hardworking as Orihime, tending to his cows with great care.

When Orihime and Hikoboshi met for the first time, it was love at first sight. They laughed and talked, their hearts filling with joy. No longer lonely, they quickly became inseparable, and soon, all they wanted was to be together. However, in their happiness, both began to neglect their duties. Orihime stopped weaving, and Hikoboshi’s cows wandered the heavens, untended.

Tentei, angered by their neglect, decided that the two lovers needed to be punished. He separated them by placing Orihime on one side of the Milky Way and Hikoboshi on the other, forbidding them from seeing each other. Heartbroken, Orihime wept by the river of stars, longing to see her beloved.

Moved by his daughter's tears and her sorrow, Tentei made a compromise. He allowed Orihime and Hikoboshi to meet once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month, but only if they had fulfilled their duties throughout the year. On this day, the two would be reunited by a bridge of magpies, who flew across the Milky Way, allowing the lovers to embrace once more.

Every year, on the night of Tanabata, the two stars—Altair (Hikoboshi) and Vega (Orihime)—come together in the sky. But their reunion is not always guaranteed. If the skies are clear, they can meet, and the people on Earth celebrate their love with festivals, colorful decorations, and poems written on slips of paper. However, if it rains, the river overflows, and the magpies cannot form the bridge, keeping the lovers apart for another year.

The festival of Tanabata symbolizes the power of love, patience, and perseverance. Though Orihime and Hikoboshi can only meet once a year, their love endures, waiting for the moment when the stars align, and they are reunited under the heavens.