Stars in Ogushi
Stars in Ogushi

The Milky Way ~ A Nocturnal Hiatus

When we looked up, a miracle revealed itself: billions of stars and the milky way stretched from one side of the sky to another.

It is on the road to a very far away and very high above haikyo. Unfortunately, the path was blocked by snow, we had to stop. But when we looked up, a miracle revealed itself: billions of stars and the milky way stretched from one side of the sky to another. I stopped the engine, turned off the lights. There is only us, the stars, and the whole universe in between. Only a little story is missing. And hopefully no bears will come and munch on us.

The Milky Way in Gunma.

The Weaving Princess and the Cow Herder Star

Once upon a time, the Weaving Princess was making silk dresses for the other fairies. One day, she fells in love with the Cow Herder Star. The Cow Herder Star lives on Earth with his herd of cows, and plays the flute from the morning till the night. One day, she decided to live with him, but her father, the Sky King, forces her to come back to the sky. He accepts nevertheless to have the Cow Herder Star coming up there as well, at the condition he takes care of the cows in the sky for him. The Cow Herder Star flies up with no hesitation.

The Milky Way in Gunma.

They were both so much in love that they forgot everything about their responsibilities. The Sky King, however, doesn’t, and got angry. He threw his daughter to the East Bank of the Silver River, and sent the boyfriend away on the opposite bank. And of course, the river, is wide, really wide…

The Milky Way in Gunma.

They ask the dad a last chance. The Sky King, finally really kind, decided to let them meet each other once a year, on the 7th day of the 7th month. Ever since, they always meet on that day, and they are so happy each time that tears of joy fly through the sky. Yeah.

Onsen in Gunma by Night.

Tanabata

There are a few versions of that story and mine is one of them. In Japan, the two lovers are called Orihime and Hikoboshi. Each of them represent an actual star : Vega and Altar. Those stars actually meet one a year, and the rest of the time they are separated by the Milky Way. On that very special day called Tanabata, the Japanese write their wishes on little papers and hang them on bamboos. If you want more information about it, or simply to find out about the dates, click on that image (website of the Tokyo International Committee) :

Tanabata

It’s of course a very good day for the shooting stars. The day I took those photos wasn’t actually a special day, but I was so amazed and delighted by the wonderful show that I couldn’t say anything but a single, stupid but true sentence : “Like is crazy. Really crazy.”

And for more awesome content about Japan, follow Jordy Meow on Instagram ! 🎵

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Who Am I

Jordy Meow
This is me!

I am Jordy Meow, a French photographer based in Tokyo. I explore offbeat places in Japan.

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Emerald hills call, Beneath the boundless blue skies, A lone horse wanders. エメラルドの丘が呼ぶ 果てしない青い空の下 一頭の馬が歩く #serenejapan #ruralbeauty #countryside #peacefulvibes #offbeatjapan #japan #hiddenparadise
Red banners whisper, Mossy stones lead to the sky— Nature's quiet shrine.  赤い旗が囁き、 苔むした石段が空へ誘う— 自然の静かな神社。 #offbeatjapan #japan #torii #shrinesofjapan #nature #serenity #japaneseforest
Emerald whispers, Water's silky dance glides free, Nature's quiet hymn. エメラルドのささやき、 水の絹の舞、静かな自然の賛歌。 #Akame48 #waterfalllove #serenejapan #mysticalforest #naturephotography #offbeatjapan #japan
Golden sun descends, Cliffs cradle emerald dreams— Nature's fierce embrace. ---黄金の陽、 崖が翡翠の夢を抱く— 自然の強き抱擁。 ---#offbeatjapan #japan #sunsetviews #natureembrace #mountainbeauty #aeriallandscape #dramaticviews
Ancient roots embrace, Rugged bark whispers secrets— Green serenity. ---古代の根 ざらざらした樹皮が囁く— 緑の静寂 ---#ancienttree #mysticalforest #naturewonders #contemplationspot #sereneforest #offbeatjapan #japan
Sakura whispers, Ruby bridge spans tranquil flow, Spring's fleeting embrace. 桜のささやき、 ルビーの橋は静かな流れを渡る、 春の儚い抱擁。 #cherryblossoms #sakura #japan #traditionaljapan #tranquility #natureandarchitecture #offbeatjapan
Weathered wood whispers, White walls gleam in green embrace— Time flows with the stream.朽ちた木がささやき、 緑が抱く白い壁— 時間は川と流れる。#OffbeatJapan #HiddenGems #SereneScenes #Japan #Tradition #PeacefulViews #CulturalHarmony
Wood whispers softly, Frosted glass diffuses light, Harmony stands still. ---木が囁く 曇りガラス光を 調和が静止する ---#offbeatjapan #japan #traditionmeetsnature #serenespaces #ryokan #japanesearchitecture #zenvibes #culturalambiance