Karpfen in der Luft
© SJ-HC

Childrens Day – Kodomo no Hi

Today is the Japanese Childrens' Day! 🙂

Always on the 5th May (at the end of golden week), Japanese honour and celebrate the personality, existance and the luck of (having) children.

Traditionally, the set up wind dragons in form of carps of which every carp holds its own position and importance. The carps also hold the meaning of the strength of swimming and fighting against the current of rivers.

The black carp magoi 真 鯉 stands on top and symbolises the father of the family.
The red carp higoi 緋 鯉 stands on the second position and represents the mother of the family.
After that follows the one for the son and the other children. For each child you'll set up one wind dragon, which might differ depending on the stand of the child and differs in colours and sizes.

You'll also display Japanese Samurai puppets and armors within the house as well as Iris flowers Shoubu 菖蒲, which also took their influence at the origins of the festival. It also resembles the Japanese word for the warrior spirit Shoubu 尚武 and therefore, suits the festival well, too.

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