July 7 is known as tanabata (七夕: literally seven evening), the star festival. According to the Chinese legend, Altair (彦星 Hikoboshi: the star of the herdsman) and Vega (織姫 Orihime: the star of the weaver-princess) that are the separated couple by the Milky Way are allowed to meet once a year on this day.
In Japan people generally celebrate this day by writing the wishes on tanzaku (短冊), small pieces of paper and hanging them on bamboo trees with other decorations. The bamboo trees with decorations are often set afloat on a river after the festival.
The most famous tanabata festival in Japan must be in Sendai (仙台). They celebrate the day in the old luner calender from August 6th to 8th.
Today is shosho (小暑 literally means small hot), one of nijyushisekki (二十四節気), the 24 solar terms. This is the beginning of summer heat. The last one was geshi (夏至) on June 21 and the next one is taisho (大暑) on July 23.
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