Fussa Tanabata Matsuri Festival 2009 福生七夕まつり
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JR Fussa Station on the JR Ome Line is decorated with tanabata streamers during Aug. 6-9.
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JR Fussa Station
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JR Fussa Station. Go out the West (Nishiguchi) exit for the Tanabata Matsuri.
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Right outside the west exit of Fussa Station was this helpful information booth, offering free maps and info about the festival.
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Area in front of Fussa Station's west exit.
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Tanabata decorations on the west side of Fussa Station.
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Fussa's biggest event is the Fussa Tanabata Matsuri. The 59th festival was held during Aug. 6-9, 2009. I visited on Aug. 9, 2009.
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Ekimae-dori road had outdoor tanabata decorations. In fact, there are no indoor arcade areas for tanabata in Fussa.
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Fussa Tanabata Matsuri, Tokyo
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MJ who died in June 2009.
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The festival is said to have originated from a Star Festival in China. According to Chinese legend, east of the Milky Way there was a Heavenly King whose daughter worked as a weaver. However, when she married a herdsman, she quit weaving.
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This angered her father who banished the herdsman to the other side of the Milky Way. He allowed the two to meet only once a year on the evening of the seventh day of the seventh month (according to the lunar calendar).
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The weaver is represented by the Vega star and the herdsman by the Altair star. As a prayer to produce better arts and crafts, the Imperial Court and the warrior class paid homage to these two stars from ancient times. This practice spread to the masses.
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Japan's largest Tanabata Matsuri is in Sendai. Tanabata in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa and Asagaya in Tokyo are also well known.
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Quite a few people wore yukata.
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A band parade by local school children.
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Making their way through Ekimae-dori.
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Fussa manhole depicting tanabata festival in Tokyo.
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Another road with tanabata decorations in Fussa was this Ginza-dori road, also outdoors.
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The decorations on Ginza-dori were more creative.
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Michael Jackson tribute in Aug. 2009, Fussa Tanabata Matsuri, Tokyo. Very good likeness.
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On the reverse side of MJ, was Barack Obama, Fussa Tanabata Matsuri, Tokyo
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Barack Obama at Fussa Tanabata Matsuri, Tokyo. A very good likeness.
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Chinese-style tanabata decoration.
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Anpan Man of course. What would a tanabata festival be without this character?
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We also saw a mini samba parade promoting a college wrestling event.
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Mini samba parade at Fussa Tanabata Matsuri, Tokyo
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Samba dancer at Fussa Tanabata Matsuri, Tokyo
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Samba dancer at Fussa Tanabata Matsuri, Tokyo
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Samba dancer at Fussa Tanabata Matsuri, Tokyo
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Samba dancer at Fussa Tanabata Matsuri, Tokyo
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Samba dancer at Fussa Tanabata Matsuri, Tokyo
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Samba dancer at Fussa Tanabata Matsuri, Tokyo
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My YouTube video of the Fussa Tanabata Star Festival in 2009.
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Entrance to the Daiichi Elementary School.
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Daiichi Elementary School had a stage for performances, etc. There were numerous performers every day of the festival.
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Brass band parafe by Self-Defense Force.
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Tanabata Galaxy Street had food stalls.
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