Tanabata, the Star Festival, is one of five seasonal festivals that has been celebrated in Japan since the eighth century. Each summer in Japan, people prepare for the festival by writing their wishes on narrow strips of paper called tanzaku and hanging them with other origami paper ornaments on bamboo branches displayed at the entrance to their homes and public places. Guests attending Portland Japanese Garden’s Tanabata celebration will be invited to the Yanai Family Classroom to write their own wishes on tanzaku. Volunteers will be present to assist guests with hanging their tanzaku on the bamboo in the Crumpacker Bamboo Allee, adding to the colorful display. The festival will also feature music from Takohachi and storytelling of the Tanabata story.
- Portland,
- OR
- Community Focus: Eastern Asian
- Geographic Region: Oregon
- Japanese
Considered the most authentic Japanese Garden outside of Japan, Portland Japanese Garden is a haven of tranquil beauty in all four seasons. In Spring of 2017, the Garden opened its new Cultural Village, complete with new garden spaces, classrooms, exhibition and gallery space, and the Umami Cafe. Portland Japanese Garden is a hallmark of our city, providing people with a place for healing, connecting, and building communities.
