仙台七夕 Ｔａｎａｂａｔａ Ｆｅｓｔｉｖａｌ in Sendai

仙台の七夕が始まりました。子供が小さなときは連れて見にゆきましたが、最近ではわざわざ人混みに出かける気にもなれず、街に用事があっても始まる前か終わってからにするか、避けてしまうのですが、今日はどうしても買い物があったので、頑張って出かけ、そそくさと用事を済ませ、知らない人には珍しいだろうと思い、一番町商店街の入り口にある三越の前で写真を二三枚撮りました。
東北の三大祭りの一つ、仙台の七夕をわざわざ見に、全国から百万もの人がやってくるのに、歩いて十五分のところに住んでいる人間がこんな具合です。きっと私は三大祭りのもう一つ、ねぶたの青森県出身なので、あの津軽のジョっパリ太鼓のお腹に響く音を聞くと血が騒ぐのですが、飾ってあるだけの七夕はちょっと物足りないのです。でも和紙の飾りはきれいでした。



Today is the first day of Sendai Tanabata festival, one of the three most famous summer festivals in Tohoku (north area of Japan). Nebuta in Aomori, Kanto in Akita and Tanabata in Sendai. Tanabata is a star festival based on an old tale from China: A beautiful court girl (Vega) who was a weaver fell in love with a cowboy(Altair). They became neglecting their job. God got angry and split them but allow them to meet once a year, only　from the both sides of river (Galaxy). It is cereblated on July 7th usually but in Sendai one month later, following the luner calender.
Each shop on the main shopping streets makes a big bamboo decoration with balls and ribbons ornaments made of beautiful Japanese papers. You can see those bamboo decorations continuing 2km. And at some spot you may find another decoration with thousands of folded cranes people made with prayer for the peace. August 6th is also the day of Hiroshima.

But I was born and raised in Aomori prefecture where the most ecxiting and moving Nebuta festivals are held. You will see many huge lantern floats parade in the dark evening. Whenever I hear the sounds of Japanese drums and flutes sounds I feel my blood boiling. To me Sendai Tanabata seems to be too still. If you are interested in Nebuta, please accsess the sites I have put. If you can't understand Japanese, you would imagine something.

http://www.city.aomori.aomori.jp/kanko/nebuta/kaia01.html
http://www.hirosaki.co.jp/