Baguio Tanabata fest starts July 13 with concerts, art workshops

BAGUIO CITY – The “2019 Philippine-Japan Friendship Month” or “Baguio Tanabata Festival 10” opens in Baguio on July 13 with the theme “Silence for 250 years, the Hidden Christians of Japan.”

Now on its 10th year of celebration, Tanabata is also known as the “star festival” and means night of the seventh. 

The festival is inspired by an old Chinese “star  legend”  of  Orihime (a weaving princess) and Prince Hikoboshi (a cow herder). Legend says that the lovers were separated by Tentei (the Sky King) across the milky way (Amanogawa) because they failed to meet their responsibilities after marriage.

The origin of the legend dates back 2,000 years ago

Tanabata is a Japanese tradition where people write their wishes on Tanzaku papers (colorful, small strips of paper) and hang them on bamboo branches outside their houses.

This will also be done during the opening of the exhibits at the Baguio Museum.

This year’s  celebration of  the 10th year of the  festival will come with a special gift to the people of Baguio from Amakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan, considered the World heritage, Hidden Christian site,  which inspired the theme.

The gift of Tensho Embassy is a “15-16th Century European Renaissance Music Concert.” 

The “Friends of Collegio”  Ensemble will be using the restored musical instruments of the medieval period. 

                Two free concerts will be held on July 21 at 1 p.m. at St. Louis University.

On July 23, at 6 p.m., the concert will be at the San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila.

The Tanabata Festival in Baguio was institutionalized by Baguio City Ordinance No. 66, on July 23, 2012 sponsored by Councilor Lourdes Tabanda.

The event is celebrated and organized annually by the Japanese Association in Northern Luzon (JANL), the City of Baguio, the Filipino-Japanese Foundation of Northern Luzon (Abong) and Baguio Museum as the official venue of the exhibits.

Sponsoring the events are the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, the JEC Fund Osaka, the Japan Foundation Manila, Nagasaki Prefectural Government, Sasebo City, Minami Shimabara City and also Amakusa City of Kumamoto Prefecture.

The 3-month schedule of activities include free workshops on July 13  and July 20 at Abong Hall in Bukaneg Street.

The day starts at  9 a.m. with the Tanabata Seven Ornaments making workshop and continues at 1 p.m. with the Nagasaki Ohura Church paper craft making workshop. 

On July 21 at  9 a.m. the ceremony of the Philippines-Japan Friendship Day will be held at the Japanese Garden along Governor Pack Road.

At 1 p.m. is the free Special Concert of Renaissance European Music by the Friends of Collegio Ensemble from Amakusa City, Kumamoto, Japan with venue at the SLU CCA theater.

On July 23 at 6 p.m.,  another  free concert of Renaissance European Music will again be held by the Friends of Collegio Ensemble at the San Agustin Church in  Intramuros, Manila.

On August 4 at the Baguio Museum, Gov. Pack Road, three exhibits will be opened simultaneously  at 2 p.m. namely: Poster Exhibit of World Heritage of Nagasaki and Amakusa, History of Philippines and Japan in the 17th Century and Hidden Christians and Tanabata Festival 10.

On August 17 and 18, the COSPLAY Tanabata 7 – Harajuku parade will be held at the Newtown Plaza Event Center

From the middle of September to the middle of October the Japanese Film Festival will be held at different participating universities: Saint Louis University, University of the Cordilleras, University of Baguio, University of the Philippines and Benguet State University.

On  October 18-20 Cosplay SAISHŨ: Shogun Renaissance by Maila Alog of Wilvy Shows Entertainment Productions and Carolina's Dress Shop featuring Cosplay Academia by Robin Balisi will be held  full of exciting surprises and entertainment.

Other participating organizations supporting the Tanabata  Festival 10 are: Bag-iw Art Society, UP Baguio Society of Visual Arts,  CurTEAnah Events,  Lubong Baguio Inc, Amida Software Asia, Mihiro Kensetsu Kogyo Corporation, Friendship Tours and Resorts Corporation, Chaya Japanese Cuisine (CHAYA), Sakura Terrace Japanese Restaurant, Porta International Education Consulting Inc, the Blue Files Language & Training Center, Cosplay SAISHŨ and the Baguio Cosplay Community.

For more information, please contact Hidenobu  Oguni , president of JANL and overall coordinator of Tanabata 10 at 0910 411 3306;  Arnel Cabanisas – president  Abong at 0917 824  6307  and Gemma Estolas, museum assistant curator,  Baguio Museum at 074-444-7451 and 248 1147.