We interrupt this regularly-scheduled article of "Kayo Kyoku Plus" for this explanation of Tanabata（七夕）, aka The Star Festival, the observed holiday in Japan on July 7th. Have a look at this video with English subtitles by uploader mtanakaunis.
For some reason, I couldn't find any specific anime on YouTube showing an example of Tanabata although I recall that it is a frequent setting for an episode. In fact, I was watching one episode of Season 2 of "Teasing Master Takagi-san" which had the students doing something for it. However, I did find the ladies on Japan's Weathernews celebrating the holiday by writing their wishes on those strips of coloured paper known as tansaku and tying them up to bamboo branches.
As such, I was trying to look for something relevant to the festival, and lo and behold, I saw the ballad "Hoshikuzu" (Stardust) in my backlog. This was actually the coupling song to down-to-earth pop/rock singer Ai Otsuka's（大塚愛）fourth single, "Happy Days", which was released right on July 7th 2004. And I'm fairly sure that "Hoshikuzu", written and composed by Otsuka, was created in tribute to the holiday not just because of the date of release but also since the lyrics involve a couple in love holding hands looking up at the starry sky and wondering what the future holds.
Going to that A-side, "Happy Days" is how I've always seen and heard Otsuka, upbeat, uptempo and rocking away. I haven't heard this one in years and it took me hearing her chirp the title to jog my memory cells once more. The song peaked at No. 3 on Oricon and ended up as the 55th-ranked single for 2004.
Otsuka also appeared in a commercial for Morinaga's Ice Box frozen treat which had "Happy Days" as the jingle. The song was also used as the theme for NTV's 24th edition of the All-Japan High School Quiz Championship that year.
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