In Japan, many are coming off the celebration of Tanabata. Also known as the "Star Festival", it takes place on the 7th day of the 7th month to mark the meeting of the two stars Vega and Altair. These stars represent Princess Orihime and Hikoboshi, star-crossed lovers from a story originating in Chinese mythology.

So on a night many look to the stars, there may be no better photographer to commemorate the festival than CG artist and photographer Yutaka Kagaya (@KAGAYA_11949), who specializes in stunning nighttime photography.

Taking advantage of clearer skies thanks to an early end of the rainy season, Kagaya took this magnificent shot of the night sky from Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido.

The star shining brightly in the upper part of the photo is the Orihime star. The star shining brightly a little to the lower right across the Milky Way is Hikoboshi. The enchanting photo has been captivating many on Twitter, with a lot of praise for how clearly the shot shows what Tanabata is all about!

During Tanabata, many people write down their wishes and dreams for the future on bamboo decorations that can be floated on a river or burned. It's fitting that Kagaya's photo captures the essence of "wishing upon a star."

For even more awesome nighttime photography, Kagaya has published a book of his works.