Tanabata related car and oxcart washing rain in Japan!

Today, and July 6th annually, is Thoughtful Hand-Washing Car Day 思いやり手洗い洗車の日 in Japan! The name of the anniversary is interesting, but I wasn't overly interested in a hand-washing car themed anniversary... until I read the background. Its fascinating!

This anniversary came about because of a poetic term in Japanese: 洗車雨, Sensha-u, which translates to "car-washing rain" in modern English. But the term actually came about in ancient times, for the rain that is said to fall on July 6th - the day before tanabata.

According to Japanese folklore, this rain represents the water used by Hikoboshi (the Cowherd Star) to wash his oxcart in preparation for his journey across the Milky Way to meet Orihime (the Weaver Star) the next day. The rain that falls was imagined to be the water splashing down from the heavens!

Thus, the 'Car Wash Rain Club,' a group formed by car enthusiasts, established the "Thoughtful Hand-Washing Car Day" anniversary to fall on July 6th, to promote the joys of washing cars by hand!