Description
Two stars, Altair and Vega, meet in the Milky Way on each 7 July and, according to the legend, it is the only night of the year that a princess could meet her lover, who was a shepherd. At this festival, worshippers write the name of their partners on a small doll or streamer and hang it from a bamboo pole. There are ceremonies and processions from early afternoon, and the area in and around the shrine turns into a open air eatery, with stalls selling all kinds of foods and drinks. It gets crowded, but the experience is worth it.