#Japan #Tokyo #Tanabata #Japan Romanticist Society #Romanticism

The Vanishing Romantic Wishes of Tanabata

As Tanabata approaches, many people reflect on their heartfelt wishes, traditionally tied to the tale of Orihime and Hikoboshi who meet just once a year across the Milky Way. However, recent findings from a survey conducted by the Japan Romanticist Society (Tokyo) reveal that the essence of romance in these wishes is dwindling.

In a study involving 300 men and women aged 15 to 69, it was found that the overwhelming majority of wishes this year revolve around health (32.7%) and not wishing for anything at all (32%). Only a mere 2.3% expressed wishes related to love and marriage.

This startling statistic has prompted the Society to classify individuals who write romantic wishes on Tanabata as