TANABATA

 

If you study English, then chances are that someday you may have to explain Japanese culture to a foreigner. It is good practice to study Japanese culture in English! So, let`s discuss Tanabata, the day of the Star Festival.  It is a day for making wishes. On Tanabata, Japanese usually place large bamboo branches in their homes, at stores, and in many public places. They write their wishes on small strips of paper called "tanzaku", and tie them to the bamboo branches. The bamboo are also decorated with origami and long streamers. Tanabata comes from a tale of two lovers who were separated because they neglected their work. There was a wide river between them, and they could only see each other once a year when a flock of magpies would come and make a bridge with their wings.  However, if it rained the magpies wouldn`t come, and the two lovers would have to wait another year to see each other.  The story is told in the stars, with Altair and Vega as the two lovers, and the Milky Way as the river. The two stars are usually on opposite sides of the Milky Way throughout the year, but come together around Tanabata. As in the story, if it rains, we can`t see the stars and so the lovers can`t meet.

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FAST - TANABATA - FAST

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Quiz

1. What is Tanabata?

2. What do people do on Tanabata?

3. What is a tanzaku?

4. Why were the two lovers separated?

5. How could the two lovers go across the river to meet each other?

Vocabulary & Phrases

1. flock むれ

2. magpie かささぎ

3. streamer ストリーマ

4. branch　枝

5. wish　希望

Japanese Translation

もしあなたが英語を勉強すれば、

日本の文化を外国人に説明しなければいけないときがあるかもしれません。
英語で日本文化を勉強することはとても良い練習です！
星のまつり、七夕について話しましょう。
それはお願いごとをする日です。七夕の日、日本では通常、彼らの家や、お店そしてたくさんの公共の場所に大きい竹の枝をおきます。
彼らは願い事を" 短冊 "と呼ばれる小さな細長い紙に書きます。そして竹の枝に結びつけます。竹も折り紙や長い吹き流しで飾られます。
七夕は、仕事を怠ったことのよって別れさせられた二人の恋人の物語から来ています。
彼らの間には広い川があり、カササギの群れがやってきて羽で橋をつくるとき彼らは年に一回だけ会うことが出来ます。
しかしながら、もし雨だったらカササギは来ません、そして二人の恋人はもう一年会えるのを待たなければなりません。
物語は二人の恋人をアルタイルとベガ、川を天の川と星で語られてます。二つの星は一年を通していつも天の川の両側にあります。しかし七夕の頃に出会います。
物語にあるように、もし雨ならば私達は星を見ることが出来ない、そして恋人は会うことが出来ません。

Quiz Answers

1. Tanabata is the day of the Star Festival.

2. People make wishes on Tanabata.

3. A tanzaku is a small strip of paper.

4. The two lovers were separated because they neglected their work

5. A flock of magpies would come and make a bridge so that they could meet.

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MR. JOHN`S 英会話教室 in 上大岡。生徒募集中！ https://sites.google.com/site/mrjohnsenglishclass/home