Kodomo no hi or Children’s Day is an annual Festival in Japan. May 5 is dedicated to honor children. It has a long history and lots of secret facts behind the day. Let’s know what’s are these facts.
Table of Contents
Introduction:
What is Kodomo no hi or Children’s Day?
May 5th is Kodomo no hi in Japan. In English, Kodomo no hi is literally translated as Children’s Day.
Every year, people celebrate it as one of the special days. In addition, numerous events take place all over Japan.
It is a national holiday.
May 5th is a day for children to be respected on the day for their individual strengths. Besides, parents and relatives wish for their happiness.
History:
Kodomo no hi history has a connection with the Chinese Zodiac.
Before, it was known as Tango no Sekku, which means near the seven signs of the Chinese Zodiac.
Tango No Sekku also means the 5th day of the 5th month. The day is celebrated as Boys Day.
As a result, May 5th was known in Japan as Boys Day.
However, after the second world war, in 1948, Japan renamed the day and made it general for both boys and girls so that people could wish for growth for all their children equally.
As a result, the day became a more public event celebrating the happiness of all children.
However, there is a celebration day for girls, known as Hina Matsuri. People celebrate it on the third day of the third month.
The day is also known as the Doll Festival.
Decoration:
Kodomo no hi, or Children’s Day, has unique traditions with special decorations associated with the holiday celebration.
For example, the festival venues are decorated with different kinds of colorful cloth carp streamers or Koinobori. People call these cloth carp streamers Kodomo no hi Koinobori.
Besides, colorful cloth carp streamers are hung on poles outside houses and public buildings to bring good luck to the children.
Koi fish can swim upstream and waterfalls to reach their determined destination. That is why Carp or Koi fish are believed to be the sign of spirited fish.
So, on Kodomo no hi, colorful Koinobori symbolizes the wish for Children individuals’ braveness and boldness.
Traditional Gift:
Japanese Samurai were the world-famous soldiers in the world. They were strong and respected.
So, no doubt, parents want their children to be respected and strong like Samurai.
As a customary, parents used to present to their sons Kabuto, Samurai Helmets, Gogatsu-Ningyo, Samurai dolls, and their armaments as symbols of wishes of respect and growing strong.
However, in modern days, some people only display Kabuto, Samurai Helmets, Gogatsu-Ningyo, Samurai dolls, and their armaments in their homes.
The samurai dolls usually represent traditional folktale characters. Among the folktale characters, Kintaro and Momotaro are very famous.
Besides, brave samurai characters are favorite to children who symbolize courage and strength.
Varieties of Samurai helmets are available in the shops. However, per helmet costs 40,000-90,000 Yen.
Home Customs:
People traditionally follow a few customs at home. They try to eat food according to their traditions.
a) Food:
What is Kodomo no hi food?
Children eat Kashiwa-mochi(rice cakes) stuffed with bean paste. The cakes are usually wrapped in oak leaves.
The oak tree grows large. Besides, it has a long lifespan.
On the other hand, an oak tree can grow 100ft tall and live over 200 years.
Tales associated with oak trees are often found in Greeks, thunder god, Zeus, and Zodiac.
Besides, oak trees provide food and shelter for many species of wildlife.
The Symbolic of oak are wisdom, nobility, strength, intuition, and caring. That is why parents provide their children wrapped with oak leaves and rice cakes on the day to be healthy, noble, strong, and wise.
At the same time, dumplings, known as Chimaki in Japanese, wrapped in bamboo leaves, are also provided if oak leaves are not available.
Besides, Oak leaves look like Ninja Shuriken, one of the best Ninja weapons, and bamboo leaves look like Ninja swords.
Sword and Shuriken help bring victory over enemies. That is one of the reasons for providing oak and bamboo leaves wrapped mochi to the children.
b) Flower:
According to Japanese culture, not only historical characters and food are not meaningful on Kodomo no hi, but also flowers.
Iris flowers symbolize good luck, which starts blooming in early May. People put Iris flowers at their homes to drive away evil spirits from home and bring good spirits back.
Especially on Children’s Day, people decorate their doors with beautiful Iris flowers. That is why before the day is also known as Satsuki. But, of course, literally, Satsuki means May.
c) Bathe:
Japan is known as a country of hot springs. Parents give baths to their children filled with floating iris flowers and leaves.
However, most the parents in the present day usually buy some kinds of balls and put them in the bathing tub where children can take bathe.
Events in Tokyo:
Most of the famous places in Tokyo decorate with hundreds of colorful, beautiful Koi fish.
Moreover, it is a very special day in Japan. So many Kodomo no hi activities and festivals go on in Tokyo.
Some of the best places to enjoy such activities and festivals are Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Tower, Mizumoto Park, and Kasai Rinkai Park.
However, Tokyo Skytree hosts Tokyo’s biggest Kodomo no hi Festival by hanging and arranging various activities.
Many street performers show their excellent performances at festivals.
Shirahige-Bashi Water Side Terrace also holds a special event in Sumida Ward every year. It is on the bank of the Sumida River, and it has a vast open space(see Google Map).
Book hotel near Skytree: