Tanzaku is a Wish Tag for Tanabata Festival

July 7th is a Tanabata Festival in Japan, also called Star Festival. The story of Tanabata came from an ancient Asian folk legend about the Cow Herder Star (Altair) and his lover the Princess Weaver Star (Vega), who had been banished by her father to opposite ends of the Milky Way, doomed to meet each other but once a year at this time. If it rains that night and the stars cannot be seen, the lovers must wait another year to be re-united.

Each summer in Japan, children and their parents prepare for the festival by writing their wishes on Tanzaku, narrow strips of colored paper and hanging them with other paper ornaments on bamboo branches displayed at the entrance to the their homes. Everyone prays that the sky will be fair, the lovers will meet, and their wishes will be granted.

I made Tanzaku with Japanese 5-Yen coins last Tanabata. 5-yen coin has many good meanings. We call it Goen, which means good relationship. The first 5-yen was printed in 1949, it has three symbols on the face of coin, and one on the other side. Rice as Agricultures, Gear as Industry, Stripes (wave) as Fishery Industry, and new leaves as Forestry. It was designed with Wishes of reconstruction and development of Japan.

I made 5-yen Tanzaku for you all this year also. Any tenugui order until July 7th (Thursday), you’ll receive a 5-yen Tanzaku with your Tenugui.
Or any tenugui fans who want to have 5-yen Tanzaku, please send email to mail@wuhaonyc.com , I’ll send you one for your wish come true.

What is your wish year 2011?

- to be continued…

From: Ruri

write a wish on tanzaku, and hang it on the bamboo tree

Tanabata is Japanese star festival that is celebrated every year on July 7th. Some parts of Japan celebrate in August according Lunar year. When this time of year comes around, people write their wishes on tanzaku which are strips of paper, and hang them on bamboo trees.

new arrival - tanabata tenugui!

Tanabata is also known as the story of Hikoboshi (Altair) and Orihime (Vega). The Japanese version of star story is;
It’s origins come from the legend of the Altar and Vega.?Two lovers separated by the milky way, and they are allowed to meet just once a?year on July 7th.

Tenugui is still made by hand during most of the production process, washes, dries, cuts and folds….
When they cut tenugui separately, some tenugui scraps are left over, and they use those scraps as stuffing for the packing, however, they are actually beautiful by themselves.

Our special tenugui tanzaku was made with tenugui and Japanese 5-yen coin.

I made Tenugui Tanzaku(wish note) with tenugui scraps today. And I added a Japanese 5-yen coin (about 5-cents) on it as charms. 5-yen has many good meanings, we call it GOEN. Goen also means Good Luck in Japanese. The first 5-yen was printed in 1949, it has three symbols on the face of coin;
Ear of rice as Agricultures, gear as Industry, and strips as Fishery Industry
It was designed after the World War II, for wishes for development of all three industries.

What are your wishes?
My wish is very simple…. “Happiness” for all of us.

- to be continued…

From: Ruri