Adorable note by Sayuri Sasai, showing a Tanabata (star festival) celebration in old Edo.
They stress that Tanabata, and its tradition of writing wishes on tanzaku (paper strips) before tying those up on bamboo, spread among Edo commoners thanks to the terakoya (temple elementary school system) which increased literacy.
The boy is anxiously wishing for his handwriting to get better, and below him you can see how the classical rectangular tanzaku could also be shaped like notebook, abacus or writing brush, or watermelon or gourd - something popular among young students ^^
The street peddlers below offers Tanabata related goods such as bamboo stalks and the tanzaku papers. Besides them, a popular summer dish of somen (cold noodles) is eaten for good luck (the longer the noodle, the longer the life).