Tango no Sekku
Childrens Day
May 5
photos contributed by Tim Huggins
May 5th is the Boys' Festival in Japan. It is the festival to hope all of the boys in each household would grow up healthy and strong. Warrior figures (often the dolls of boys in suits of armor) and/or Warrior's helmet and Warrior's Suit of Armor are set up in the house during this festival, iris leaves (Shobu) are placed under the eaves to fend off evil, and huge carp shaped streamers (Koinobori) are fastened to poles. Carps are thought to be very strong as they swim up even big water falls. Special rice cakes wrapped in oak leaves (Kashiwa mochi) and Cooked rice wrapped in bamboo grass and tied with straws (Chimaki) are eaten on this day.
During the Edo period, the streamers were hand painted and the colors corresponded to the colors of the Feudal Lord that the warriors of the region had served. It identified not only the presence of the man and boys in that houshold but also the "ke" i.e. which Lord/House you served. Incidentally, the girls doll Festival in March was the same thing. The colors of the Prince and Princes and the servants also reflected the colors of the Lord.
I imagine the lyric from the childrens song Koinobori refects more of todays symbolism:
Yane yori takai koinobori
Ookii magoi wa otoosan
Chiisai higoi wa kodomo tachi
Omoshirosoo ni oyoideru
... which translates to something like...
Carp streamers, higher than the roof
The biggest carp is the father
The small carps are children
Enjoying swiming in the sky
Thanks to Ed Farris for contributing
