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Last Updated: June 16, 2008

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Summer Fest at
45rpm SOHO

A Yukata is a traditional summer garment worn typically during times of celebration, like bon-odori festivals and street fairs and are an especially common sight where there are fireworks displays taking place. For the first time 45rpm has constructed our own Yukata using our very special fabrics. What better time to bring them to the states than around the 4th of July? We will be unveiling our limited quantity Yukata series on June 29th @ our 45rpm Summer Fest in SoHo. If you are interested in attending please inquire to info@rby45rpm.com.

Tanabata
Orihime (Weaving Princess), the daughter of the Tentei, (Sky King or The Universe Itself) wove beautiful clothes by the bank of Amanogawa, the river of stars that make up The Milky Way. Her father loved the cloth that she wove and so she worked very hard every day to weave it. Over time she became despondent that she would never have a chance to fall in love with anyone. Since he delighted in his daughter and wished her to be happy, Tenkou arranged for her to meet Hikoboshi (Cow Herding Star) who lived and worked on the other side of The Milky Way, across the Amanogawa River. The two met and immediately fell in love with each other and were shortly married. Overtaken by their love for one another, Orihime had no desire to weave the cloth that had so delighted her father and Hikoboshi allowed his cows to stray all over the heavens. Tenkou was outraged at such neglect and separated them at opposite ends of the Amanogawa River. Orihime in tears, crushed by the separation from the love of her husband, begged her father that they be allowed to meet again. Tenkou was moved by the tears of his daughter and conceeded that the two be allowed to meet on the 7th day of the 7th month (when the stars Altair and Vega intersect), provided that Orihime continued her weaving. When first they tried to meet, they found that they could not cross the river because there was no bridge. Orihime cried and wailed so loudly that it drew a nearby flock of magpies who took pity on her and pleged to form a bridge over the river with their wings so that she can cross on that date. When it rains, the magpies cannot fly to meet her and the two lovers are forced to wait another year.

Tanzaku
During Tanabata people write their wishes & prayers usually in poetic form on small pieces of Tanzaku and then hang them on bamboo often accompanied by other decorations. These are often set afloat and sent out to sea or set on fire as the festval comes to a close, in the tradition of floating paper lanterns at the time of Obon.
We'd like to invite any of you who would like to come to make a Tanzaku for yourself to do so at our Soho location anytime during store hours up to July 7th!