1st February 2021

Konnichiwa!

This week in Music we are thinking about another special Japanese festival.

 

This festival is called Tanabata or the Star Festival. The word means ‘Evening of the Seventh’ as the festival takes place on the seventh day of the seventh month. (What is the seventh month of the year?)

 

The Tanabata festival began many years ago and is based on a Chinese folktale, ‘The Weaver Girl and the Cowherd’.

• Click on Link 1 below to read the story of Orihime (the weaver) and Hikoboshi (the cowherd).
• Follow Link 2 to watch the story again. This time there are no words. Listen carefully to the music – do you like it?

 

During Tanabata, adults and children sing a special song. Read the words below and click on Link 3 to hear the song in Japanese.

 

Extension Task

One special tradition of the Star Festival is for people to write their wishes on strips of paper, called Tanzaku, and hang them from a branch. Have a go at making some Tanzaku using the template below.

What will you wish for?