When you hear on the news, "July 7th is Tanabata!" you might be confused if you're in Hokkaido, where Tanabata is generally celebrated on August 7th. Some Hokkaido residents might have even wondered, "Why is Hokkaido different?" In fact, while some areas in Hokkaido like Hakodate and Nemuro celebrate Tanabata in July, other regions like Tohoku with its famous "Sendai Tanabata Festival" celebrate it in August. Tanabata is held on different dates depending on the region. So, why did this difference come about?

Tanabata is a star festival that was originally transmitted to Japan from ancient China. It's a festival that began with the legend of the Weaver Star (Orihime) and the Cowherd Star (Hikoboshi), who are separated by the Milky Way and can only meet on the night of July 7th.

On a summer night, you can see the "Summer Triangle" formed by three stars—Vega, Altair, and Deneb—in the eastern sky. Two of the stars that make up this triangle are Vega, the first-magnitude star in the constellation Lyra, also known as "Orihime," and Altair, the first-magnitude star in the constellation Aquila, also known as "Hikoboshi" or "Kengyusei" (the Cowherd Star). It is said that this legend was born because these stars appear particularly beautiful on July 7th.

Tanabata was originally held on July 7th, but the reason many regions in Hokkaido celebrate it in August is due to the difference between the "old calendar" and the "new calendar." On November 9, 1872 (Meiji 5), the Meiji government decided to abolish the old "lunisolar calendar" and adopt the "Gregorian calendar (solar calendar)" as the new calendar starting from January 1 of the following year. As a result, December 3, 1872 (Meiji 5) became January 1, 1873 (Meiji 6), effectively moving the calendar forward by about a month.

Regions that celebrate "Tanabata on July 7th" kept the original date of "July 7th" from the old calendar and simply applied it to the new calendar's "July 7th." On the other hand, regions that celebrate "Tanabata on August 7th" recognized that "July 7th" on the old calendar corresponds to roughly "early August" on the new calendar. They kept the day, "7th," from the original date and celebrate Tanabata a month later, on "August 7th."

Incidentally, the Obon festival is also celebrated in either July or August depending on the region for the same reason—the difference between the old and new calendars. In Hakodate and Nemuro, both Tanabata and Obon are held in July.

Tanabata, which has been celebrated since the Nara period, became one of the "Gosekku" (Five Seasonal Festivals) during the Edo period. Besides Tanabata, the Gosekku include Jinjitsu on January 7th, Joshi on March 3rd, Tango on May 5th, and Choyo on September 9th. The sight of bamboo branches decorated with tanzaku (strips of paper) bearing various wishes is a classic summer scene, and these Tanabata decorations also became popular during the Edo period.

In the early Edo period, Tanabata was an event for the imperial court and feudal lords. However, as terakoya (temple schools) became widespread, allowing commoners to learn reading, writing, calligraphy, and the abacus, Tanabata quickly spread among the general populace. At the time, most wishes were related to improving these "tenarai" (studies), but today, a wide variety of wishes are written on tanzaku.

Has the mystery of "Why is Tanabata in Hokkaido in August, not July?" been solved? What are your wishes for this year? Domingo hopes that all the wishes you've written on your tanzaku come true!