ANA’s Tanabata Event in NAIA: Send Your Wishes to the Stars
All Nippon Airways (ANA) holds its annual Tanabata event at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 twice a day from July 7 to July 8. They can be spotted at the check-in lobby three hours before the 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. flights of ANA.
The Filipino staff of ANA invite you to write your wishes.
A noble wish.
If there were a courier that sent wishes directly to the heavens, what would you write? For ANA passengers, their wishes range from personal wants, to good wishes for the family, to wishes of peace for the country and the world. And their wishes might just reach the heavens.
ANA has been holding Tanabata every year since the 5-star airline started its operations in Manila. Also called the Star Festival, the event serves as a way to bring airline passengers closer to Japanese culture. Before checking in for their flights, passengers can stop by ANA’s booth, where staff dressed in Japanese traditional clothing called yukata are waiting to welcome passengers. Laid down on the table are colorful strips of papers called tanzaku, on which passengers can write their wishes. After that, they are to hang the tanzaku on the Japanese bamboo by the side of the booth.
There are colorful tanzaku to choose from.
Kids can make a wish, too!
All the tanzaku will then be brought to the Ashikaga Orihime Shrine in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, where they will be burnt. After they are burned, the ashes are believed to rise up to the sky carrying everyone’s wishes. That is how our wishes will reach the heavens.
Tanabata originated from the legend of two stellar lovers called Orihime and Hikoboshi, who were separated and are only allowed to see each other once a year, on July 7. It is said that on this day, your wishes can come true when you write and hang them on the bamboo.
ANA holds its Tanabata event in every international airport that it caters. Last year, Manila sent the most tanzaku to Japan. The event is observed as a national tradition in Japan.
Written by: Rizelle “Rei” Leaño
