Hoshi Matsuri (Buddhist star festival) (星まつり)
Hoshi Matsuri is a Buddhist festival celebrating the tonenjo (also referred to as tonenzokusho, each person's star of the year) and honmyojo (each person's star of the year of birth) to ward off evil. Hoshi Matsuri is also referred to as Hoshi Kuyo or Hoshiku. Although tanabata-matsuri is also called Hoshi Matsuri, it is another festival.
Summary
In the astrology of Esoteric Buddhism, one of the seven stars of the Big Dipper is assigned as the honmyojo of a person and dominates the person's destiny.
In addition, the star that dominates the destiny that comes around every year is called tonenzokusho. The festival is a memorial service for these stars, praying for happiness of the year and warding off evil, and generally held at the new year in the old calendar (vernal equinox). Hoshi Matsuri and Hoshiku services are held at different temples nationwide.