The Tanabata Japanese Star Festival at `Imiloa Astronomy Center (hereafter `Imiloa) drew a crowd of nearly 2,500 to the half-day free event on Saturday, August 19, 2023, that showcased special planetarium shows, Japanese crafts, and summer festival games, bon dance lessons, taiko performances, entertainment, `ono (delicious) food and more. The first Tanabata Festival was held at `Imiloa in 2019 to celebrate Subaru Telescope’s 20th anniversary, and this year, participants celebrated the community event after the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
"The Tanabata Festival is an important part of Japanese culture and a great way for us to share astronomy and culture together as one," says Subaru Telescope director Satoshi Miyazaki. "We were happy that so many people came out to enjoy the Tanabata Festival here in Hilo. These community connections show us how important we are to one another and how much we can learn from each other. We hope to have more events like this in the future."
Close to 800 event-goers came through in the first hour of Tanabata 2023, enjoying a welcome by Mayor Mitch Roth and a rousing taiko performance by Puna Taiko and the Hilo High School Taiko Club. Outside, Subaru Telescope presented Yoyo-Tsuri (water balloon fishing) and Kingyo Sukui (goldfish scooping), two popular games at summer festivals in Japan. For many, trying to catch a balloon in a water pool using a fragile paper-made string with a hook was a first! People also enjoyed scooping rubber fish and balls with a paper scooper, trying not to break the paper. Participants were all smiles when they would succeed in picking up a balloon or scooping fish into their net with the helpful advice of the Subaru Telescope staff.
Figure 1: (Upper left) A child successfully catches the balloon at the Yo-yo Tsuri booth. (Upper right) Mayor Mitch Roth tried his hand at Yo-yo Tsuri before his welcome address. (Bottom left) Two children try to scoop balls and rubber fish at the Kingyo Sukui booth. (Bottom right) The Hilo High School Taiko Club performs to start the Tanabata Festival. (Credit: NAOJ)
In the exhibition hall, event goers participated in hands-on Japanese cultural and science-themed activities such as origami crafts to create Orihime and Hikoboshi dolls, the two main characters of the Tanabata story; UV-beads bracelets, paper lanterns, musubi (Japanese rice ball) boxes, and more, provided by Subaru Telescope, `Imiloa, and TMT International Observatory (TIO). In the Moanahoku Hall, entertainment was scheduled throughout the festival: bon dance lessons, an Okinawan folk music performance, and Tanabata story-telling by the Hilo High School Japan Club.
Figure 2: (left) Origami and (right) Musubi box booths in the exhibition hall. (Credit: `Imiloa Astronomy Center)
A planetarium show ran every 30 minutes and included the Tanabata Story in the night sky and a full-dome time-lapse movie captured by the Subaru Telescope All-Sky Camera on July 7, 2023 (Tanabata night). Subaru Telescope director Satoshi Miyazaki also presented a special science talk, including information about developing the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) and discoveries by the Subaru Telescope. He showed the hscMap full-dome version and zoomed up on some celestial objects captured with HSC. At 12:30 p.m., Yuko Kakazu, Manager for Education, Outreach, and Broader Impacts at TIO and NAOJ, presented scientific perspectives with the giant "eye" of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) and explored future collaboration with the Subaru Telescope. She also introduced TIO’s revitalized vision, the newly formed Hilo-based outreach team, and culture-based learning programs. Almost all the planetarium shows approached full occupancy, and the speakers enjoyed answering questions from the audience after the talks.
Figure 3: (left) Director Satoshi Miyazaki presented science discoveries of the Subaru Telescope at the planetarium with the unique hscMap projection. (right) In her science talk, Yuko Kakazu (TIO/NAOJ), wearing a Japanese yukata, brought the audience to the cosmic odyssey. (Credit: NAOJ)
The story of Tanabata tells of the annual reunion of two star-crossed lovers — a weaving princess named Orihime and a cowherd named Hikoboshi. The two are separated by Orihime’s father, who places them on opposite sides of Amanogawa, the heavenly river (Milky Way). The couple is allowed to meet just once a year (on the seventh day of the seventh month). In astronomy, Orihime is the star Vega, and Hikoboshi is the star Altair. Both are clearly visible in the summer sky. In Japan, the Tanabata Festival is celebrated by writing wishes on colorful strips of paper called tanzaku,which are hung on bamboo trees.
"We're filled with immense pride and gratitude for all of the organizations and individuals that contributed to a successful Tanabata Festival," says `Imiloa Executive Director Ka`iu Kimura. "Hosting Tanabata back at ʻImiloa this year post-COVID has been a true honor and accomplishment. Being able to come together in person to celebrate this beautiful tradition after the challenges we've faced highlights the resilience of our community and the importance of cultural events in restoring a sense of normalcy. We look forward to many more joyful gatherings in the future."
The Tanabata Japanese Star Festival was sponsored by Subaru Telescope, `Imiloa, TIO, KTA Super Stores, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Hawaii. The Tanabata sponsors are grateful to local performers, schools, and volunteer groups for their significant contributions in making Tanabata Festival 2023 such a huge success!
Figure 4: Group photos at the Subaru Telescope Origami booth (left) and outside (right). Including family members, more than 30 staff members contributed to the Tanabata Festival from Subaru Telescope. (Credit: NAOJ)
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