The Tanabata Star festival is held in many places in Japan. It is held on the seventh day of the seventh month. Many places use the modern calendar, so hold it in July. But others, including Kyoto, use the older lunar calendar, so it is held in August. It is based around a myth originating from China, about two deities separated by the milky way, who can only meet once a year.
The story goes, Orihime 織姫 the weaving princess, who was the daughter of Tentei 天帝 the sky god. spent her days weaving the most beautiful and elegant cloth by the banks of the river Amanogawa 天の川 (the milky way, lit. heavenly river). She was pleased to make her father happy making such beautiful cloth, but she was lonely. Feeling sorry for his daughter's loneliness, Tentei brought Hikoboshi 彦星 (the cow herder star) across the Amanogawa to meet his daughter. They fell in love at first sight and were quickly married. But Orihime stopped weaving and Hikoboshi forgot his cows, the cows ran around heaven to the annoyance of Tentei. He got so angry that he sent Hikoboshi back across the Amanogawa and forbade the couple to meet. But Tentei's heart softened because of Orihime's tears and he allowed the couple to meet one day a year, if the princess worked hard at her weaving.
On the seventh day of the seventh month the couple were to meet, but they found there was no bridge to cross. But the sadness of Orihimes's tears brought a group of magpies, they created a bridge with their bodies for the couple to meet in the middle. From then on every year the magpies come, unless it is a rainy day, then the sad couple have to wait another year.
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