Children's Day in Japan (05/05)

Children's holiday (Japanese. it is celebrated in Japan on May 5th and is officially called «Kodomo no hi». The holiday received national status in 1948.

It was originally called Boys' Day or «Tango no sekku» (First Day of the Horse). This name was chosen because the horse symbolizes courage, courage, courage, all the qualities that a young man must possess in order to become a worthy warrior. Another name — Shobu no sekku (Iris Festival) — arose during the Nara period, since the irises blooming at this time symbolize success and health. Boys under 15 years of age took part in tango no sekku. Currently the holiday is known as «Children's Day».

The origins of the holiday date back to the first centuries of our era, when it was a ritual event associated with the onset of spring, the beginning of field work, and a request for the well-being of the community. In this holiday, worship of the spirits of plants, herbs and trees took place, which was associated with prayer for health, the granting of male vitality, and the prosperity of the family. This ancient ritual was in the nature of a festive ceremony and was one of the rituals of the imperial court, where the main role was given to the Emperor himself, who collected medicinal herbs together with the courtiers.

Peasants these days displayed bright flags and scarecrows in various costumes in the fields to protect themselves from insects during the flowering period. Gradually, these figures began to be made more skillfully, especially those that depicted warriors, and then, over time, flags and scarecrows in the fields began to be perceived as amulets not only of the future harvest, but also of children. Now they were no longer placed in the fields, but kept at home.

During the Heian era, tango no sekku takes on the character of a military sports festival, during which military prowess was demonstrated — competitions were held in archery, sumo wrestling, sword battles, and equestrian competitions were held. The country's rulers used an ancient custom to instill a samurai spirit in the younger generation.

During the Edo period, the holiday became more magnificent and solemn; it began to be celebrated in all strata of society. Exhibitions were held in the houses and miniature armor and figurines of warriors in rich clothes were exhibited. In samurai society, military armor and a helmet were considered very important attributes among men, as they protected the body of a warrior during battles. The military armor in which the doll is dressed represents the boy’s protection from troubles, happiness in life and marriage, and assistance in difficult life situations. All dolls have their own face and character, each with a story connected with it, sometimes heroic and sometimes humorous.

Multi-colored carp — koi-nobori (Photo: akiyoko, licensed from Shutterstock.com)

It is now a widespread custom to hang images of — koi-nobori carp fluttering in the wind on the Boys' Festival. The carp is considered a very resilient fish that can live not only in clean fresh water, but also in a pond and in swampy areas. Legend has it that when the carp climbed the river against a strong current and crossed the waterfall, which was called the «dragon whirlpool», it turned into a dragon and rose to the sky. Therefore, «koi-nobori» symbolizes the wish for boys to grow into beautiful men and easily overcome all difficulties. The length of carp depends on the age of the children; the largest symbolizes the head of the family.

It is believed that this custom arose among the townspeople who did not have the right to display spears, halberds, banners, etc. in front of their houses on this day, as the military class did. Instead, they began to hang carp, which served as an example of perseverance, courage, and perseverance in achieving a goal. At the birth of a boy, there is also a custom of placing a shaft with paper or fabric figurines of carp, which represents an appeal to the heavenly god with a request to protect the child.

These days, special food is also prepared in houses: rice koloboks wrapped in iris or bamboo leaves — timaki-sushi, rice cakes wrapped in oak leaves — kashiwa-mochi and rice cooked with red beans — sekihan. A set of such ritual food, each dish of which includes rice, was a magical means of ensuring the health of children and procreation.

In the evenings, boys and their parents gather at the stand to look at the dolls, hold a helmet and armor in their hands, and listen to the story of each character. By introducing children to the mythology of gods and heroes, parents influenced the character of boys and passed on the traditions of the Japanese army from generation to generation. Thus, this holiday has remained unchanged almost to this day. Although it is currently celebrated as Children's Day, boys are preferred.

By the way, the holiday ends the so-called «gold week», which includes Showa Day (April 29), Japanese Constitution Day (May 3), Green Day (May 4) and Children's Day (May 5).

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