Hoshi No Matsuri (Festival of Stars)

I think we just experienced the equivalent of Christmas in Japan.  Well, except there was no caroling or Jesus Christ or gifts.  Well, that's not true; we are ALWAYS being given gifts.  So really the only similarity is the decorated "tree."  It actually is a cut bamboo stick with the greenery still on.  Then you decorate it with "wishes"  Everyone writes a wish on a rectangular piece of paper and hangs it on the tree.  Other paper ornaments are also made and hung.  It is called a tanabata.

Honestly, we wouldn't have known a thing about it, but we made paper decorations for weeks at the volunteer center. 

This lady at the volunteer center follows my family's cooking blog.  I was just taking pictures of the preparations, but after realized she was showing the others my cooking blog. 

Here is a blurry picture of our "tree"

Elder Price's height came in handy.

Volunteers under the "tree" 

Kadawaki san (our leader and friend at the Volunteer Center) and I under our tanabata.

Special colorful treats are made to celebrate the holiday.  I think they are an offering for the dead.  I don't know, but they are pretty.  We noticed them in many of the stores.

One of our eikiawa students owns a  bakery.  We visited one day and I took pictures of the beautiful treats.

You're probably gathering that I have no idea what this holiday is about.  That's pretty much how life is here in Japan.  We rarely know what's going on.  We don't have a clue.  We just go with the flow.  But Happy Hoshi No Matsuri anyway!