七夕祭りって英語でなんて言うの？

The important things here I think are to identify what the festival is celebrating (first example), the names and origin of the festival (second example), when the festival takes place & also what activities / practices are involved in the festival (third example). The word 'deities' is an alternative collective term for Gods and/or Goddesses.

Well, it's a colourful, annual celebration in which people hang their wishes on a bamboo stick. Because the name of the festival is 'Tanabata' any explanation of the event should include the Japanese word as that is the most common way of referring to the festivities every July 7th. "Have you written your Tanabata wish yet?"

Tanabata is also known as a star festival. It is a celebration of love from an ancient legend and a time where Japanese persons write their wishes on colorful strips of paper and make them as decorations around the home on the exterior. Most times when a name is being translated from language to language it does not change. However, you can simply explain to the person what exactly this Festival entails.

The Japanese Tanabata festival can be explained as a festival of love. It involves two stars that renew their love for each other each year. As there is no literal translation of Tanabata a description of the event would have to include: The date of the festival - Beginning of July What is involved - lovers write notes on colourful strips of paper attached to bamboo poles History of the festival - Originally a festival held in China it became a part of Japanese culture during the Nara period. It is the story of ill-fated lovers exiled from each other and granted one chance each year to see each other in the stars. A beautiful and romantic festival celebrating love and dreams. Celebrated all over Japan.

For someone who knows Japanese culture, even if they're American, they will know what Tanabata Festival. But for those who don't you can tell them the literal meaning which is Star Festival and explain it even more by saying it's celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh month because of the folklore of the two stars, Vega and Altair, being able to meet as the legend says they're lovers separated by the Milky Way. Hope this helps!

You may call 七夕祭り the "star festival" when describing it to people, based on the traditional story. However, calling it the "Tanabata Festival" is also appropriate, as it is similar to words like "sushi" and "sashimi" and do not need English versions. Either way, if someone is unfamiliar with 七夕 you will have to describe the story to them, and so using both "Tanabata" or "the star festival" is appropriate.