Tanabata became popular among the common people during the Edo period

Tanabata, which has been celebrated since the Nara period, became one of the "Gosekku" (five seasonal festivals) during the Edo period. In addition to Tanabata, the Gosekku include Jinjitsu on January 7, Joshi on March 3, Tango on May 5, and Choyo on September 9. The sight of bamboo branches decorated with tanzaku (paper strips) bearing various wishes is a classic summer scene, and this Tanabata decoration also became widespread during the Edo period.

In the early Edo period, Tanabata was an event for the imperial court and feudal lords. However, with the spread of terakoya (temple schools), commoners learned skills like reading, writing, calligraphy, and using the abacus, known as "tenarai." As a result, Tanabata quickly became popular among the general public. At that time, many wishes were related to improving one's skills, but today, all sorts of wishes are written on tanzaku.

May all your wishes come true!

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