Annual Events: TANABATA

たなばた, a star festival is an annual event on 7 July originating from the Chinese folk legend. It commemorates the meeting of two star lovers, Altair (known as the Cowheard star ひこぼし) and Vega (the Weaver star おりひめ), who are able to meet in the Milky Way only once a year on this day.

See more about the たなばた original story;

Tanabata Love Story (Video)        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU6TRYFsgKs

TANABATA FESTIVAL

People celebrate this day by putting up ささ (bamboo branches) decorated with たんざく (strips of paper with written wishes on them) and たなばたかざり (colourful ornaments). The celebrations are held throughout Japan in July (or August if following the Japanese lunisolar calendar) and some cities and shopping centres are decorated with large trees and colourful ornaments.

At school students often decorate their classrooms and enjoy celebrating with specially prepared school lunches, party food and activities!

Take a look at the slides about たなばた. You will find quizzes and trivia.
You can change the language in the slides to suit your students’ Japanese level.

Students can do activities related to たなばた.

ACTIVITY 1     MAKE TANABATA DECORATIONS

Make たんざく and たなばたかざり with origami and decorate your classroom!

You can put an illustration of a bamboo branch on the wall as an alternative to ささ.
Wishes can be written in Japanese or English, depending on the level of students.

How to make たんざく　

♦Make たんざく with origami　　　　　https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq02pCYdE4c

♦Expressions for たんざく

• ～になります　　　　　e.g.  おかねもちになります！

• ～がほしい　　　　　　e.g.  じてんしゃがほしい！

• ～たい　　　　　　　　e.g.  友だちとたくさんあそびたい

• ～ように　　　　　　　e.g.  にほんごがじょうずになりますように

How to make たなばたかざり

ちょうちん　　　　　　　https://youtu.be/PfuM3FlPrxg

わかざり　　　　 　　　https://youtu.be/9mj_Dhf2mEI

あみかざり　　　　　　　https://youtu.be/WcfasSD1xLQ

Others　　　　　　　　　　https://en.origami-club.com/tanabata/index.html

Optional Extension: Make an original ornament

Students plan and create their own original ornaments. Students then introduce their ornament to the class and talk about its meaning.

e.g.　　カンガルーのかざり　　meaning: To jump towards a dream!

ACTIVITY 2     SING A SONG FOR TANABATA

Sing along with the following video.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/KvEdBm8P1cQ

Lyrics:

ささの　は　さらさら　　Bamboo leaves are rustling
のきばに　ゆれる 　　     And swaying at the eaves
おほしさま　きらきら   　Stars are twinkling
きん　ぎん　すなご 　　  Like gold and silver glitter

ごしきの　たんざく　　   On colorful papers
わたしが　かいた　　      I wrote my wishes
おほしさま　きらきら　　Stars are twinkling
そらから　みてる　　      And gazing at me from the sky

ACTIVITY 3     SKIT: TANABATA

Students perform a short skit about the origins of たなばた.

ACTIVITY 4     PLAY: TANABATA

Students work cooperatively in groups or as a class to prepare and perform the play for their classmates or at a school event.

PLAY: TANABATA