A tale for separated lovers everywhere…
Today in Japan was Tanabata (Star Festival). This commemorates the story of Orihime, a shepherd, and Hikoboshi, a goddess, who fell in love and had two children. Many years later, Hikoboshi’s parents found her and forced her to return to the heavens. To ensure that the lovers could not reunite, they laid a river of stars to separate heaven and earth - the Milky Way. But moved by the tears and imprecations of the lovers and their children, they allowed them to reunite one night a year - on the 7th day of the 7th month….
The photo is taken at the Stone
Museum in Gifu, with thousands of illuminated stones representing the Milky Way (photo courtesy of Asahi Shimbun)