Children's Day (Japan)

Kodomo no Hi (Japaneseこどもの日, dt " Children's Day " ) is a Japanese holiday of May 5, during the Golden Week, takes place. It is a day on which respects the personality of the children and their joy is to be celebrated.

Origin

Originally this day Tango no Sekku (端午 の 節句) was called and was probably the Japanese equivalent of the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival (端午节). Sekku denotes a solid season (now there are 5 per year). This should mark the beginning of summer and the rainy season. Tango has a double meaning: Tan means " edge " or " start" and go " lunch ". In Japanese, go also means five (五), which refers to the date of the festival - could relate - the fifth day of the fifth month. From ancient times, was the fifth month of the Chinese calendar is the month of purification, and many rites to ward off evil spirits, were completed this month.

Although the exact start date was celebrated by the at this day is not known, it probably falls into the reign of Suiko Tenno ( 592-628 ). During the Nara period was set in Japan, the Tango no Sekku on the fifth day of the fifth month.

Until recently, Tango no Sekku was known as " boys hard " while the Hina Matsuri ( " Girls' Festival " ) was celebrated on March 3. 1948 set by the government 5 May as a national holiday to celebrate the joy of all children and to express gratitude to the mothers. He was then renamed Kodomo no Hi. Some criticism is that it is a holiday, despite the name change still the boy hard and unlike the girls hard.

Customs

On this day, families hoist on a high bamboo pole next to the house the Koi Nobori ( " carp banner " ): a large, black for the father, one red for the mother, the blue for any boy (or any child). The in the wind like a weather vane rotatably mounted carp pay also by the desire for strength of the boy who has to swim against the current as the carp. In addition, a doll of Kintaro (金太郎) riding on a large carp and the traditional Japanese military helmet Kabuto be flaunted. Kintaro is the childhood name of Sakata no Kintoki, a hero of the Heian period, and subordinates by Minamoto no Raikō, who as a child was famous for his strength.

Traditionally, on this day Kashiwa -mochi, which are rice cakes wrapped in oak leaves ( kashiwa ), and Chimaki eaten.