High above the mortal realm of Ningen-do glitters the Necklace of Amaterasu, a vast River of Stars separating our world from Yomi, the sacred realm of our ancestors. Across this celestial tide stretches the Bridge of Lights—a luminous path where the spirits of the departed undertake their journey to the afterlife.

Welcome, honored Samurai, to the Festival of the River of Stars.

Tonight, the Empire turns its eyes upward. We do not just look to the heavens to honor the ancestors walking the Bridge of Lights, but to witness a bittersweet reunion.

On either side of the celestial river burn two brilliant luminaries: the Weaver Star and the Cowherd Star. Bound by cosmic duty and separated by the vastness of the heavens, these celestial lovers are granted only one night to cross the starry expanse and be together—the ninth night of the ninth month.

As the lovers reunite above, we celebrate their devotion below. Tonight, the streets and courts are transformed to mirror the beauty of the heavens.

Festival Traditions:

• The Tanzaku Wishes: Bamboo branches have been erected throughout the City of the Rich Frog, fluttering gently in the evening breeze. You are invited to write your deepest wishes, prayers, or poems on vibrant strips of paper (tanzaku) and tie them to the bamboo. It is said that the reunited stars will grant the wishes of those who honor them tonight.
• Lanterns of the Bridge: Countless paper lanterns are floated down the city's winding waterways, mirroring the Bridge of Lights and guiding the spirits of the deceased safely toward Yomi.
• Poetry and Sake: Gather beneath the night sky at the city's teahouses and squares to share cups of warm sake, compose haiku of longing and duty, and marvel at the Necklace of Amaterasu.

Will you seek a moment of quiet reflection for the ancestors, pen a secret longing on a slip of bamboo, or find your own star-crossed romance amidst the glow of the paper lanterns?

OOC Information

Starting on the September 9, 2026 at 07:00 PM the festival will begin and you may participate in the various events going on for four days.
IC this will be 1 day.