Fly a fish!
Children’s Day and Boys’ Day May 5
May 5 is a double holiday in Japan. It is Children’s Day, which has been
a national holiday since 1948. It is also Boys’ Day, a festival that is
hundreds of years old.
On this day, families with one or more sons raise a bamboo pole on their
roof or in their yard. On the pole fly hollow cloth or paper streamers
shaped like the kind of fish called a carp. The carp is a symbol of
strength, courage, and determination. The largest fish streamer, which
is at the top of the pole, stands for the oldest son. The shortest
streamer is for the youngest son.
Many families display things that remind boys of strength and of the
past. Groups of tiny dolls show scenes and characters based on Japanese
hero stories. Small images of Japanese generals hold swords or spears.
Families may also put out armor, helmets, and other equipment once used
by family members. Some families even hang up a silk banner that has on
it the family emblem.
On Boys’ Day, boys often bathe in water in which the sword-shaped leaves
of the iris plant have been soaked. These leaves are another symbol of
strength. And for strength and good luck, boys eat rice wrapped in
leaves of iris, bamboo, and oak.
Some years ago, the Japanese government made this day a new national
holiday called Children’s Day to honor both boys and girls.
