First Annual Tanabata Festival & 11th Annual Summer Festival

The courtyard of the Japanese American National Museum was abuzz with the large, moving crowd. These two large bamboo graced the entrance to the courtyard, inviting any and all to take part in the Summer Festival and to make their way to the dozens of tanabata kazari on display further …

First Annual Tanabata Matsuri & 11th Annual Summer Festival
País: ylkawashima

Tanabata: Community Kazari

240 of these kazari were hung outside the Museum of Contemporary Art from August 14-17, 2009 for the First Annual Tanabata Festival. Flowing in a sea of streamers these colorful decorations caught the eye of many.

Tanabata: Community Kazari
País: ylkawashima

Close Up of the Fukinagashi

These fukinagashi (streamers) are one variant for the Tanabata kazari displayed for the First Annual Tanabata Festival held in Little Tokyo August 14-17, 2009.

Close Up of the Fukinagashi
País: ylkawashima

Tanabata Fukinagashi

In accordance with the legend of Orihime and Hikoboshi, the streamers of the fukinagashi decorations represent the textiles of Orihime, who wove beautiful clothing for the gods.

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Photograph courtesy of Richard Fukuhara (August 15, 2009; First Annual Tanabata Festival, Little Tokyo)

Tanabata Fukinagashi
País: ylkawashima

2008 Nanka Kenjinkai Picnic

In 2008 the Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogikai also had decorations to celebrate the Tanabata festivities alongside their annual picnic.

Kenjinkai Tanabata Picnic
País: ylkawashima

Sendai Kazari

Though the Tanabata Project initially began as its own project at JANM, soon we found out that the Little Tokyo Nisei Week was having its own Tanabata festivities as well as Brian Kito, of the owner of the Little Tokyo Public Safety Association. This large decoration was imported from Sendai, …

Sendai Kazari
País: ylkawashima

Tanabata Connecting the Little Tokyo Community

This Kokeshi Doll decoration, along with all of its other Tanabata Decoration nakama, are the result of the collaborated teamwork at JANM. But more than that I think it signifies a strong tie with the idea of community. With the historic JANM building to the right, the Little Tokyo buildings …

Tanabata Connecting the Little Tokyo Community
País: ylkawashima

JANM Logo Tanabata Decoration

In making this decoration we had to use many smaller versions of the paper flowers to get the details down correctly. In addition to the colorful streamers, this kazari had dozens of cranes made by volunteers trailing in the wind.

JANM Logo Tanabata Decoration
País: ylkawashima

Lines of Fukinagashi

Colorful streamers, dozens of flowers, a refreshing sight as each cool breeze catches the decorations hanging for the First Annual Tanabata Festival.

Lines of Fukinagashi
País: ylkawashima