The Sendai Tanabata Festival celebrates a legendary love story by decorating the city of Sendai with colorful washi paper in the shape of strips, streamers, cranes, kimono, purses, nets and trash bags. Each shape has a symbolic meaning. For example, the trash bags symbolize cleanliness.
Tanabata is celebrated all over Japan in either July or August. It's based on an old Chinese legend that has many variations. The basic story is that two stars fall in love and are married but are cast apart by the bride's angry father. In most versions of the story, the father is angry because the bride is so much in love that she neglects her weaving of shoes or cloth.
The bride pleads to her father to be united with her husband. The wish is granted, but only once a year on Tanabata. It's widely believed that these happy reunited lovers grant wishes on this day. People write wishes on colorful strips of washi paper and hang them on bamboo branches throughout Japan on Tanabata.
Sendai has the largest Tanabata festival in Japan that has been celebrated in the city since the Edo-era. Decorations are handcrafted each year by local organizations such as schools and businesses. The festival also includes musical and dance performances. A fireworks display is held the night before the festival.