nntsuzu/KFTT huggingface dataset:
English: As mentioned earlier, there were not a few manzai-shi whose roles of boke and tsukkomi were not fixed.
Japanese: 前述のようにボケとツッコミの役割分担がない漫才は過去には少なからず見られた。
English: However, since the teacher-student system collapsed and new generations who have learned manzai at a manzai training school (the third comedy generation or later) gained power, most of the comedians in those generations have performed manzai in which their roles of boke and tsukkomi are distinctly divided.
Japanese: しかし、師弟制度が廃れ養成学校世代(お笑い第三世代以降)が台頭してからは、大半の漫才コンビがボケとツッコミの役割分担が明確なスタイルの漫才を演じている。
English: In addition, although the number is still small, there are some manzai duos both of whom play boke roles (e.g. Waraimeshi) or tsukkomi roles.
Japanese: また、数は少ないが、双方ボケ(笑い飯)や双方ツッコミを特色とするコンビも存在する。
English: Also, some duos have no tsukkomi role and the partner of boke role develops the joke by acting impressed or convinced by it instead of butting in the conversation (subspecies of manzai duo in which both of them play boke roles) (e.g. Shampoo-hat, POISON GIRL BAND, etc.).
Japanese: またツッコミがなく相方のボケにもう一方が納得したり感心しながら進行するボケと便乗ボケの組み合わせ(双方ボケの亜種)というスタイルの漫才(シャンプーハット(お笑いコンビ)、POISONGIRLBAND)を特色とするコンビも存在する。
English: The form of manzai has a tendency where the style is first established by a pioneering duo, and then patterned by other followers or latecomers.
Japanese: 漫才の形態は常に、草分けとされるコンビが編み出した形式が、その追従者、後発者によってワンテンポ遅れてパターン化する傾向にある。
English: Although people have tried to classify the types of manzai in consideration of such patterns, the classifications are just used to facilitate the description of each manzai and never become established as genres.
Japanese: そのパターン化した局面を捉えて類型分けが為されてはいるが、あくまで説明のための便宜に過ぎず、ジャンルとして定着するような性格のものではない。
English: The name karuta originated from the Portuguese word "carta" which means a letter, a paper board or the like, a playing card, and so on.
Japanese: その名称はポルトガル語で手紙、あるいは紙板状のもの、トランプなどを意味するcartaに由来する。
English: In present Japan, karuta means "hanafuda" (cards with a printed picture of a flower), or the game mentioned below in which players compete for accumulating the most number of picture cards corresponding to "yomifuda" (cards for calling).
Japanese: 現代日本では、花札か、後述する読み札にあわせた絵札をとってその枚数を競う競技を意味するようになった。
English: About "hyakunin isshu" (one hundred Japanese poems by one hundred poets), which is also called "uta garuta" (Japanese poem cards), a Japanese poem is written on yomifuda and the poem's latter half is written on "torifuda" (picture cards for touching).
Japanese: 歌がるたともいわれる百人一首の場合、読み札には短歌が書かれ、取り札には下の句が書かれている。
English: Both yomifuda and torifuda correspond to the Japanese syllabary, and there exists one pair of yomifuda and torifuda for each syllable.
Japanese: 読み札・取り札ともに、五十音に対応しており、一音につき一セットの読み札・取り札が用意されている。
English: A short phrase (or sentence) - for example, a proverb - is written on it, and a person calling the card - in many cases, an adult - reads it aloud.
Japanese: -ことわざなどの短いフレーズが書いてあり、読み人（多くは大人）が声に出して読む。
English: On this, a picture about the yomifuda's contents is portrayed and the first syllable of the yomifuda's phrase (or sentence) is written.
Japanese: 読み札の内容を描いた絵と,読み札のフレーズの最初の音がひらがなで目立つように書いてある。
English: Players try to touch (flip, or - in some cases - seize) torifuda corresponding to yomifuda as soon as possible.
Japanese: できるだけ早く、読み札に合った取り札を叩く（はじく、または押さえることもある）。
English: The word "karuta" originated from Portuguese, but the game itself, similar to karuta, is thought to have existed in Japan before contact with Portugal.
Japanese: 語源はポルトガル語だが、同様の遊戯は日本とポルトガルとの接触前からあったものと考えられている。
English: That is 'kaioi' (or 'kaiawase'), a game played during the Heian period pairing the two pieces of a clamshell.
Japanese: 元々は、平安時代の二枚貝の貝殻をあわせる遊び「貝覆い（貝合せ）」である。
English: And this, combined with a card game originating in Europe, became the present game during the Genroku era.
Japanese: これとヨーロッパ由来のカードゲームが融合し、元禄時代頃に今日の遊び方となった。
English: The most classical and famous karuta cards are those corresponding to traditional Japanese syllabary.
Japanese: 旧仮名遣いのいろはの五十音に対応したものが、最も古典的で有名である。
English: Some of the cards sold on the market as of 2008 are replacements for the old ones.
Japanese: 2008年現在市販されているものには、一部の札が差し替えられているものもある。
English: About the Edo version, the cards that had a difficult or obsolete expession were replaced:
Japanese: 江戸いろはかるたの場合では、表現が難解あるいは死語となっていればそれがなされた。
English: Similarly, the card that said, 'Imo no nieta mo gozonji nai,' which literally means, 'He cannot judge whether the potatoes have got boiled,' - the English equivalent is nonexistent but this can be said a disparaging expression about a person who is not aware of what is taking place under its very nose - and the card that said, 'Ko wa sangai no kubikase' (Children suck the mother when they are young, and the father when they are old), were both replaced, too.
Japanese: 「芋の煮えたもご存じない」「子は三界の首かせ」も同様に差し替え対象となった。
English: For example, the card that said, 'He wo hitte shiri tsubomeru,' which literally means, 'To try to close the anus after breaking the wind,' - the English equivalent is, 'It is too late to cast an anchor when the ship is on the rocks,' - was replaced with the card that says, 'Heta no naga dangi' (Brevity is the soul of wit) [This proverb is borrowed from Kamigata].
Japanese: 例えば「屁をひって尻すぼめる」は「下手の長談義」に変えられた[上方からの流用]。
English: Ryoyaku wa kuchi ni nigashi' (Advice is seldom welcome), was originally a card from the old Japanese syllable orthography of 're,' but it has now become a card of the modern Japanese syllable orthography of 'ri,' so the former 'ri' card which said, 'Richigimono no kodakusan,' which literally means, 'Honest and hardworking men have many children,' - the English equivalent is nonexistent - was eliminated.
Japanese: 「良薬は口に苦し」はもともとは旧仮名遣いの「れうやく」、「れ」の札だったが、現代仮名遣いの「りょうやく」、「り」の札に配置変更され、元の「り」の札、「律義者の子だくさん」が不採用となったこともある。
English: All over Japan, various karuta cards exist in which the traditions and the features of the local community are expressed.
Japanese: 日本各地に、その地方の伝統や名物などを読み込んだいろはかるたがある。
English: Moreover, dialect karuta (with a compact disc) is on sale all over Japan, for example in the Hokkaido dialect and in the Tsugaru dialect.
Japanese: それ以外にも北海道弁かるたや津軽弁かるたなど、各地方でCD付きの方言かるたも発売されている。
English: In addition, many kinds of kids' karuta are also put on the market, that feature characters from comic books or animated cartoons.
Japanese: 他に、子供向け商品として漫画やアニメのキャラクターを用いたかるたも多く市販されている。
English: Tanabata (Shichiseki) is one of the days of sekku/sechinichi (a day of the turn of the season) in Japan, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Korea.
Japanese: 七夕（しちせき、たなばた）は、日本、中国、台湾、ベトナム、朝鮮などにおける節供、節日の一つ。
English: Though it refers to the night of July 7 (lunar calendar), Tanabata Matsuri is held in Japan either on July 7 or a month later on August 7 as Bon festival is also held either in July or in August, after the Meiji revision of the calendar.
Japanese: 7月7日(旧暦)の夜のことであるが、日本では明治改暦以降、お盆が7月か8月に分かれるように7月7日又は月遅れの8月7日に分かれて七夕祭りが行われる。
English: Originally, tanabata was a part of the Bon festival and shoryodana (精霊棚) (a shelf for spirits of the dead) and bata (幡) (a kind of flag used for Buddhist events) used to be prepared on the evening of the 7th.
Japanese: そもそも七夕とはお盆行事の一環でもあり、精霊棚とその幡を安置するのが7日の夕方であった。
English: It is also said that because the evening of the 7th is written in Chinese character as "七夕," people started to pronounce this Chinese character as "tanabata.".
Japanese: 7日の夕で「七夕」と書いて「たなばた」と発音するようになったともいう。
English: The term tanabata was born when the above was combined with Japanese indigenous legend of Tanabatatsume.
Japanese: 元からあった日本の棚機津女（たなばたつめ）の伝説と合わさって生まれた言葉である。
English: Based on Chinese calendar, July (old calendar) is the first month of autumn called "moshu" (beginning of autumn) and the seventh is the day of waxing moon, namely the day of the half moon.
Japanese: 中国暦において7月(旧暦)は秋の最初の月「孟秋」であり、7日は上弦の月すなわち半月の日である。
English: In Japan, the day of tanabata was July 7 on the Japanese calendar such as on the Tenpo calendar (old calendar) and was celebrated mostly as a part of the Bon festival, which was held on July 15 (old calendar).
Japanese: 日本では天保暦（旧暦）など和暦7月7日であり7月15日(旧暦)に行われるお盆に合わせてお盆行事の一環として行う意味合いが強かった。
English: Because the time of Bon festival split, depending on the regions, into July and August after the solar calendar was adopted in 1873, tanabata is currently celebrated either on July 7 of Gregorian calendar (new calendar) (the night of July 6 depending on events) or on August 7 as a part of Bon festival based on the old calendar (a month later) (mainly, eastern Japan, Hokkaido and Sendai).
Japanese: 明治6年（1873年）の改暦後は、お盆時期が7月と8月に分かれたが、七夕もグレゴリオ暦（新暦）の7月7日（行事によっては7月6日の夜）に勤める地域と、旧暦風（月遅れ）お盆の8月7日（東日本・北海道と仙台に多い）に行われるものとに分かれた。
English: Although there exists a leap July according to the leap month under the old calendar, July 7 of the leap month is not the day of tanabata because no annual events are traditionally held in a leap month.
Japanese: なお、旧暦の場合、閏月の関係で閏7月になることもあるが、閏月に年中行事は行わないため、閏7月7日は旧七夕とはならない。
English: In recent years, such a case occurred in 2006 (July 31 coincided with July 7 of the old calendar and August 30 coincided with July 7 of the leap month. In this case, the day of the old calendar-based tanabata is only July 31 and tanabata is not celebrated twice a year).
Japanese: 最近では2006年がそうだった（7月31日が旧7月7日、8月30日が旧閏7月7日、旧七夕はあくまで新暦7月31日だけであり、年に2回あるわけではない）。
English: Though July 7 of the Gregorian calendar falls on a summer day, July 7 of the old calendar mostly falls after the time of risshu and therefore, the old calendar-based tanabata is a seasonal word for autumn.
Japanese: グレゴリオ暦の7月7日は夏だが、旧暦の7月7日はほとんど立秋以降であるので、古来の七夕は秋の季語である。
English: As July 7 of the Gregorian calendar falls in the midst of the rainy season in most regions of Japan, it is pointed out that this is one of disadvantages in holding traditional events according to the Gregorian calendar.
Japanese: 日本の多くの地域では、グレゴリオ暦の7月7日は梅雨の最中なので雨の日が多く、旧暦のころからあった行事をグレゴリオ暦の同じ日付で行うことによる弊害の一つといわれる。
English: According to statistics, the ratio of fine weather on July 7 of the old calendar is about 53% (Tokyo) and it is not particularly high.
Japanese: 統計的には、旧暦で晴れる確率は約53%（東京）であり、晴れる確率が特別に高いというわけではない。
English: However, as July 7 of the old calendar is the day of the waxing moon, the moon sets below the horizon early and the moonlight rarely hinders the view.
Japanese: しかし、旧暦では毎年必ず上弦の月となることから、月が地平線に沈む時間が早く、月明かりの影響を受けにくい。
English: Further, as the phase of the moon on that day is irregular, the Milky Way could be invisible even on a fine day due to the effect of the moonlight.
Japanese: そのうえ新暦の七夕における月齢が一定しないために、晴れていても月明かりの影響により天の川が見えない年もある。
English: Therefore, as far as the odds of being able to see the Milky Way is concerned, they are higher on July 7 of the old calendar.
Japanese: したがって、天の川が見える確率という点では、旧暦の七夕の方がかなり高いといえる。
English: Incidentally, if rain falls on the day of tanabata it is called "sairuiu" or "sairuiu" and is believed to be tears which Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair) shed.
Japanese: ちなみに、七夕に降る雨を「催涙雨（さいるいう）」また、「洒涙雨（さいるいう）」といい、織姫と彦星が流す涙だと伝えられている。
English: It is thought that tanabata originated as the Japanese traditional festival in which people pray for a good harvest to the spirits of ancestors (Bon festival) merged with Kikkoden (Kikoden), a festival imported from China in which women pray for the progress of sewing, and the Buddhist festival of Urabon-e (Bon festival).
Japanese: 日本古来の豊作を祖霊に祈る祭(お盆)に、中国から伝来した女性が針仕事の上達を願う乞巧奠（きっこうでん/きこうでん）や佛教の盂蘭盆会（お盆）などが習合したものと考えられている。
English: The oldest literature which mentioned the events held on this day was "Simin yueling" (book on agricultural work), a book written by Cui Shi in the Later term of the Western Han period, and according to it, people aired out books on the day.
Japanese: この日の行事について書かれた最も古い文献は後漢時代の崔寔が書いた『四民月令』であり、書物を虫干しにしたことが記されている。
English: The legend of the Weaver and the Cowherd first appeared in "The Nineteen Old Poems," compiled during the Han period and selected in "Bunsen (literature)" (Selected Literature), but its relationship to July 7 is not clear.
Japanese: 織女と牽牛の伝説は『文選(書物)』の中の漢の時代に編纂された「古詩十九首」が文献として初出とされているが、まだ7月7日との関わりは明らかではない。
English: In "Keiso Saijiki" written during the period of the Northern and Southern Courts (China), it was stated that the Cowherd and the Weaver meet on July 7 and on that night, women prayed for the progress of sewing by threading colorful threads into the eyes of seven needles and setting up offerings in the garden.
Japanese: その後、南北朝時代(中国)の『荊楚歳時記』には7月7日、牽牛と織姫が会合する夜であると明記され、さらに夜に婦人たちが7本の針の穴に美しい彩りの糸を通し、捧げ物を庭に並べて針仕事の上達を祈ったと書かれている。
English: From the above description, the fact that Kikkoden which was held on July 7 was linked with the legend of the Weaver and the Cowherd is clearly understood.
Japanese: 上記から、7月7日に行われた乞巧奠と織女・牽牛伝説が関連づけられていることがはっきりと分かる。
English: The following description appears in the "Novel (In Un)" written by Inun in the Rikucho Ryo period (Southern court),
Japanese: また六朝・梁(南朝)の殷芸（いんうん）が著した『小説(殷芸)』には、以下の一節がある。
English: When she ceased to weave after being married, Tentei became angry, ordered her to return to the east of the Milky Way and allowed her to meet him only once a year." (itsubun - lost writings) of shichigatsu-ryo in "Getsuryo kogi")
Japanese: 嫁してのち機織りを廃すれば、天帝怒りて、河東に帰る命をくだし、一年一度会うことを許す」（「天河之東有織女天帝之女也年年机杼勞役織成云錦天衣天帝怜其獨處許嫁河西牽牛郎嫁後遂廢織紉天帝怒責令歸河東許一年一度相會」『月令広義』七月令にある逸文）
English: The above is the oldest historical literature that can verify the currently known story of tanabata.
Japanese: これが現在知られている七夕のストーリーとほぼ同じ型となった最も古い時期を考証できる史料のひとつとなっている
English: The origin of "tanabata" in Japanese is believed to be either "ototanabata" (ototanabata), which appears in a poem, according to "Kojiki" (The Records of Ancient Matters), written by Ajisukitakahikone when Amenowakahiko died, "ototanabata", which appears in issho-daiichi of ASHIWARA no Nakatsukuniheitei of "Nihon shoki" (Chronicles of Japan) or "tanabata, which derived from shoryodana and bata used for Bon festival.
Japanese: 日本語「たなばた」の語源は『古事記』でアメノワカヒコが死にアヂスキタカヒコネが来た折に詠まれた歌にある「淤登多那婆多」（弟棚機）又は『日本書紀』葦原中国平定の1書第1にある「乙登多奈婆多」また、お盆の精霊棚とその幡から棚幡という。
English: In volume 10 of the "Manyo-shu," some waka poems related to tanabata were compiled including a spring poem 2080 ("We can meet tonight since today is tanabata. From tommorow, however, we have to wait for an another year. A year is long").
Japanese: また、『万葉集』卷10春雜歌2080（「織女之今夜相奈婆如常明日乎阻而年者将長」）たなばたの今夜あひなばつねのごと明日をへだてて年は長けむなど七夕に纏わる歌が存在する。
English: Although tanabata was originally one of the court events, it spread in the Edo period among ordinary people as a means of prayer to improve their skills since Orihime (the Weaver) excelled in women's practices such as in weaving cloth.
Japanese: 本来、宮中行事であったが、織姫が織物などの女子の手習い事などに長けていたため、江戸時代に手習い事の願掛けとして一般庶民にも広がった。
English: In the tanabata legend of Japan and China, Vega, first-magnitude star of Lyra, is known as Orihimeboshi (Shokujosei).
Japanese: こと座の1等星ベガは、中国・日本の七夕伝説では織姫星（織女星）として知られている。
English: As their married life was so happy, Orihime ceased to weave cloth and Natsuhiko ceased to raise cows after marriage.
Japanese: めでたく夫婦となったが夫婦生活が楽しく、織姫は機を織らなくなり、夏彦は牛を追わなくなった。
English: Tentei got angry at the above, separated them, each on either side of the Milky Way and permitted them to meet only once a year on July 7.
Japanese: このため天帝は怒り、二人を天の川を隔てて引き離したが、年に1度、7月7日だけ天帝は会うことをゆるした。
English: On July 7, they could meet using the bridge on the Milky Way which was built by a magpie which came flying from an unknown place.
Japanese: 二人は7月7日に、天の川にどこからかやってきたカササギが橋を架けてくれ会うことができた。
English: However, if July 7 was a rainy day and the volume of water of the Milky Way increased, Orihime couldn't cross the bridge and Natsuhiko couldn't meet her.
Japanese: しかし7月7日に雨が降ると天の川の水かさが増し、織姫は渡ることができず夏彦も彼女に会うことができない。
English: As the above rendezvous is between two stars, tanabata is also called hoshiai (a date between stars).
Japanese: 星の逢引であることから、七夕には星あい（星合い、星合）という別名がある。
English: Though the above is the classical story of the tanabata anecdote, various folk stories based on this anecdote were created at many places in China over a long period of history.
Japanese: 古典文学として上記のようなストーリーとなった七夕説話であるが、長い歴史の中で中国各地の民話として様々なバリエーションを生じるに至った。
English: Gyuro (Kengyu), a cowherder, stole the clothing of Shokujo, one of Tennyo (celestial maidens), while she was bathing and then married her.
Japanese: 牛飼いの牛郎（牽牛）が水浴びをしていた天女の一人である織女の衣を盗んで夫婦となる。
English: Thereafter, Shokujo went up to tenkai (world of heaven) and Gyuro followed her, but they were separated by Seiobo, mother of Shokujo, on the east and west side of the Milky Way.
Japanese: やがて織女は天界に帰り、牛郎は織女を追って天界に昇るものの、織女の母である西王母によって天の川の東西に引き裂かれる。
English: Although the names of star Shokujo and Kengyu firstly appeared in "Shikyo" (Chinese poetry book) compiled in the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period, it is not clear which stars these two pointed to.
Japanese: 織女や牽牛という星の名称は春秋戦国時代の『詩経』が初出とされているが、どの星を指すかは定かではない。
English: According to the Tianguan shu of "Shiki" (the Chinese Historical records), Kengyu at the time was Gyushuku and current Kengyu, namely Altair, is a star belonging to the constellation called Kako (drum of the Milky Way).
Japanese: 前漢の『史記』天官書を見るとかつての牽牛は牛宿のことであり、現在の牽牛すなわちアルタイルは河鼓（天の川の太鼓）と呼ばれる星座の一星である。
English: It seems that the star was moved, with the development of the tanabata legend, to a position more suitable for the above anecdote.
Japanese: 七夕伝説の発展により、より説話に相応しい位置に遷されたものと思われる。
English: As July 7 of the lunar-solar calendar, used in China and Japan, is the day of the waxing moon, such a moon was sometimes likened to a ship.
Japanese: 中国や日本で使われていた太陰太陽暦では、必ず上弦の月となるので、これを船に見立てることもあった。
English: On the day, the moon sets late at night and the Milky Way which has been invisible due to the moonlight, appears.
Japanese: そして夜遅くには月が沈み、月明かりにかき消されていた天の川が現れてくる。
English: In recent Japan, however, places where the Milky Way is visible are limited even after the moon has set because of light pollution.
Japanese: ただし、近年の日本国内では光害の影響により、月が沈んだ後であっても天の川を見ることができる場所は限られている。
English: Depending on the phase of the moon, the Milky Way is often totally invisible on July 7 by the Gregorian calendar (new calendar) due to the moonlight.
Japanese: グレゴリオ暦（新暦）では、新暦の七夕における月齢ため、月明かりの影響により天の川が全く見えない年も多い。
English: Most shinto rituals are usually held at "predawn night" (at 1 am on July 7) and the festival is conducted from the night of July 6 till the early morning, during the dawn of July 7.
Japanese: 殆どの神事は、「夜明けの晩」（7月7日午前1時頃）に行うことが常であり、祭は7月6日の夜から7月7日の早朝の間に行われる。
English: As major stars rise around the top of the sky around 1 am, it is the best time to view the Milky Way, Kengyusei and Shokujosei.
Japanese: 午前1時頃には天頂付近に主要な星が上り、天の川、牽牛星、織女星の三つが最も見頃になる時間帯でもある。
English: By writing wishes on tanzaku (strips of colored paper) and hanging them on bamboo branches is a common practice around the nation.
Japanese: 全国的には、短冊に願い事を書き葉竹に飾ることが一般的に行われている。
English: Hanging tanzaku on bamboo branches is a unique Japanese practice and it was created during the Edo period based on bamboo set at the both sides of cogon grass ring for Natsugoshi no Oharae (great purification ceremony).
Japanese: 短冊などを笹に飾る風習は、夏越の大祓に設置される茅の輪の両脇の笹竹に因んで江戸時代から始まったもので、日本以外では見られない。
English: Tanzaku's five colors, which are mentioned in the lyrics of a song "Tanabata-sama," refer to green, red, yellow, white and black based on Gogyo-setsu (the theory of five elements).
Japanese: 「たなばたさま」の楽曲にある五色の短冊の五色は、五行説にあてはめた五色で、緑・紅・黄・白・黒をいう。
English: As Kikkoten mentioned above is a festival to pray for improving the technique of the arts, it is believed that wishes to be written on tanzaku are supposed to be about accomplishments.
Japanese: さらに、上記乞巧奠は技芸の上達を祈る祭であるために、短冊に書いてご利益のある願い事は芸事であるとされる。
English: Tanzaku is also influenced by five colored-segakibata of Buddhism which is used at the Buddhist service for segaki (Hungry Ghosts).
Japanese: また、お盆や施餓鬼法要で用いる佛教の五色の施餓鬼幡からも短冊は影響を強く受けている。
English: As it is believed that grinding an ink stick with drops of dew formed on the leaves of a sweet potato plant is effective for the improvement of calligraphy, seven leaves of paper mulberry on which waka poems are written are offered.
Japanese: イモの葉の露で墨をすると習字が上達するといい、7枚のカジ（梶）の葉に歌を書いてたむける。
English: A waka poem composed by the wife of FUJIWARA no Shunzei remains: "As a rudder (phonetically same as kaji in Japanese) of a boat crossing the river on the day of tanabata, how many years I have offered poems written on the leaves of kaji with the ink ground with drops of dew ?"
Japanese: 藤原俊成女の歌に「たなばたのとわたるふねの梶の葉にいくあきかきつ露のたまづさ」とある。
English: It is a common practice to place a bamboo with tanzaku hanging down on July 6 and at seaside regions, to float it on the sea at dawn on July 7.
Japanese: このようにして作られた笹を7月6日に飾り、さらに海岸地域では翌7日未明に海に流すことが一般的な風習である。
English: Recently, however, plastic products are often used in lieu of bamboo and accordingly, they seldom are floated on the sea.
Japanese: しかし、近年では飾り付けにプラスチック製の物を使用することがあり海に流すことは少なくなった。
English: In Hokkaido, a children's event called "Rosoku-morai" (give us candles)" is held on the day of tanabata.
Japanese: 北海道では七夕の日に「ローソクもらい（ローソク出せ）」という子供たちの行事が行われる。
English: Some say the reason for eating somen is derived from an ancient Chinese historical fact while others assert that people likened somen to threads and by eating it, they wished to be like Orihime who excelled in sewing skills.
Japanese: 食べる理由については、中国の故事に由来する説のほか、そうめんの麺を糸に見立て、織姫のように裁縫が上手くなることを願うという説もある。
English: Recently in Taiwan, tanabata is regarded as the day on which men and women exchange gifts, like St. Valentine's Day.
Japanese: 近年の台湾では、バレンタインデーと同様に男女がプレゼントを交換する日とされている。
English: On the other hand, in the case of "Tanabata-matsuri" organized by shopping avenues as an event, magnificent tanabata decorations are placed along the street in the daytime and are used as the setting to attract shoppers and tourists.
Japanese: 他方、商店街などのイベントとしての「七夕まつり」は、一般的に昼間に華麗な七夕飾りを通りに並べ、観光客や買い物客を呼び込む装置として利用されている。
English: In this case, attention is rarely paid to the above-mentioned practices conducted during nighttime or shinto rituals.
Japanese: 従って、上記のような夜間の風習や神事などをあまり重視していないことが多い。
English: According to "Koji-ruien" published by Jingu Shicho (Jingu Administration Office), its origin is Shokujo-sai of the Engishiki (an ancient book for codes and procedures on national rites and prayers).
Japanese: 神宮司庁発行の『古事類苑』歳時部・七夕によると、延喜式の織女祭を起源とする。
English: In "Edokanoko" written by Rihei FUJITA in 1687, there is a description saying "On the day of tanabata, children in Edo offer tanzaku".
Japanese: 貞享4年（1687年）刊行の藤田理兵衛の『江戸鹿子』（えどかのこ）には、「七夕祭、江戸中子供、短冊七夕ニ奉ル」とある。
English: In "Morisada Manko" written by Morisada KITAGAWA, there also is a description saying "The night of July 7 is tanabata. In Osaka, people play throughout the day while beating drums. In Edo, people hang colored tanzaku on a green bamboo and place it high on the roof".
Japanese: その他、喜多川守貞の『守貞謾稿』にも、「七月七日、今夜を七夕という、今世、大坂ニテハ、・・・太鼓など打ちて終日遊ぶこと也。江戸ニテハ、・・・・青竹ニ短冊色紙ヲ付ケ、高ク屋上ニ建ルコト。」とある。
English: The above descriptions indicate that tanabata was already celebrated in Edo as early as during the mid-Edo period and at the end of the Edo period, it also flourished in Osaka.
Japanese: 上記から、江戸時代中期には既に江戸で七夕祭りが始まっており、江戸時代末期には大坂でも盛んになっている様子が窺える。
English: Other than the above, there are descriptions in "Kiyu shoran" written by Kintei KITAMURA saying "in around 1829 in Edo from recently" and in "Shojitome" saying "July 1841, tanabata is celebrated in July annually."
Japanese: その他、喜多村筠庭の『喜遊笑覧』には「江戸にて近ごろ文政十二年の頃より」、『諸事留』には「天保十二年六月、例年七月七夕祭と唱」とある。
English: Further, there are descriptions also in "Toto Saijiki" written by Gekkin SAITO saying "July 6, from the dawn of this morning" and in "Kokon Yoranko" written by Hirokata YASHIRO saying "tanabata first appeared in the Engishiki as Shokujo-sai which is held on July 7".
Japanese: さらに、斎藤月岑の『東都歳時記』には「七月六日、今朝未明より」、屋代弘賢の『古今要覧稿』には「たなばた祭、延喜式、七月七日織女祭と見えたるを初とせり」とある。
English: Many "Tanabata Matsuri" that started after the Second World War at many places were organized following the pattern of Sendai Tanabata.
Japanese: 各地の「七夕祭り」のうち、戦後に始まったものの多くは仙台七夕をモデルとしている。
English: The practice of tanabata declined after the solar calendar was adopted in 1873 and such trend was further spurred by the economic downturn after the First World War.
Japanese: しかし、1873年（明治6年）の太陽暦採用を境にして年々この風習は廃れ、第一次世界大戦後の不景気以降はそれに拍車がかかった。
English: Under such circumstances, volunteers in shopping avenues worried about the situation and set big tanabata decorations in 1927.
Japanese: このような事態を憂えた商店街の有志により、1927年に大規模に飾りつけが行われた。