Tanabata is a festival that refers to the legend of star-crossed deities Orihime and Hikoboshi; banished to opposite sides of the Milky Way, the pair are allowed to come together only once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month (Tanabata means “evening of the seventh”).
Today, this translates to much banqueting, drinks and a bevy of colourful displays. MASU’s celebrations are no exception, with traditional “wishing trees” (live bamboo adorned with long, thin strips of colourful paper to be inscribed with guests’ wishes), layers of streamers known as fukinagashi, and thousands of lights emulating the night sky.
MASU’s award-winning mixologist, Akira Ohki, has crafted a menu of bespoke Haku vodka-based cocktails, which will be available exclusively during the celebrations. The creations include; “Tanabata bamboo” – cacao-infused Haku with mango and strawberry; “Kintsugi” – flavours of banana, pineapple and coconut with a gold garnish; “Orihime” – featuring cherry blossom mirin, strawberry and vanilla; “NZ Tanabata Harvest” – truffle-infused Haku, with apple and pear; “Blue Okawa Star” (an homage to how Osaka celebrates Tanabata by creating a “Milk Way” by floating thousands of blue lights on the Okawa River) – blue curacao with pineapple and yuzu; and the “Hakutini,” made with Dolin Blanc and yuzu.
Those who attend the celebrations at MASU have the chance to win a trip for two to Tokyo Japan, including six nights accommodation and a tour of a Suntory Distillery (worth $9,500).
Tanabata runs from July 1 – August 12, 2022, bookings essential via MASU.
As part of this Tanabata experience, MASU will host a Tanabata Kintsugi workshop, where renowned Kintsugi artist, Ema Frost, will lead a workshop offering guests an intimate introduction to the practice, connecting the craft of Kintsugi to the craft and care required in creating HAKU Vodka and Japanese fine dining. The evening begins with the intimate workshop, accompanied by a creative HAKU Vodka cocktail, followed by a premium dinner menu featuring signature MASU delicacies, with two matching HAKU Vodka cocktails.
$2 per hour to a max of $12 on weekends and a $12 flat rate for weekday evenings at The Civic car park. Find out more.