Children's Day (Japan)

is a public holiday in Japan which takes place annually on May 5 and is the final celebration in Golden Week. It is a day set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness. It was designated a national holiday by the Japanese government in 1948, but has been a day of celebration in Japan since ancient times.

Children's Day has officially been a day to wish for the happiness of both male and female children since 1948, but its origin, '' Tango no Sekku'', was a day for boys from the Kamakura period in the 12th century to the mid-20th century, and the customs of Children's Day still retain vestiges from that time.

History

The day was originally called one of the five annual ceremonies held at the imperial courtand was celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth moon in the Lunisolar calendar.

''Tango no Sekku'' was originally a day for women to purify the house by thatching the roof with irises, which were believed to be effective in repelling evil spirits, and for women to rest their bodies, but it was changed to a day for boys in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) when the samurai class took control of the government. The reason for this was that the iris was a plant that represented the samurai because its leaves were shaped like the blade of a Japanese sword, and the word ''shōbu'' (尚武), which means "to value military affairs", had the same pronunciation as iris (菖蒲) and was therefore considered an auspicious plant for the samurai. Since this period, '' yabusame'' (Japanese horseback archery) was held on May 5 as a way to ward off evil spirits.

The custom of displaying mini Japanese armor and ''kabuto'' (helmets) on Children's Day, called ''Gogatsu Ningyo'' (May doll), has its origins in the Kamakura to Muromachi periods (1333–1573). Samurai used to take their armor, ''kabuto'', and Japanese swords out of their storage boxes in May before the rainy season to take care of them. Since this was the time of the ''Tango no Sekku'', they began to display armor, ''kabuto'', and Japanese swords in the hope of protecting their children.

During the Edo period (1603–1867), ''Tango no Sekku'' celebrations became extravagant, and samurai households began to display samurai dolls (''Musha Ningyo'', 武者人形) in addition to real armor, ''kabuto'', and Japanese swords. Ordinary households began to display paper ''kabuto''. The custom of bathing in the bathtub with irises on May 5 began in this period.

The custom of decorating '' koinobori'' (carp streamers) on Children's Day originated in the Edo period (1603–1867). During the Edo period, samurai households began to decorate their yards with '' nobori'' or ''fukinuke'' (吹貫) flags, which were colored with '' mon'' (family crests) to represent military units, during ''Tango no Sekku''. The ''nobori'' and ''fukinuke'' were then merged, and the first ''koinobori'' appeared in Edo (now Tokyo). The colorful ''koinobori'' as we know them today became popular from the Meiji era (1868–1912).

After Japan switched to the Gregorian calendar, the date was moved to May 5.Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005)
''Japan Encyclopedia.''
Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ; , p. 948 Until 1948, Children's Day was known as Boys' Day (also known as Feast of Banners), celebrating boys and recognizing fathers, as the counterpart to Hinamatsuri, or "Girl's Day" on . In 1948, the name was changed to Children's Day to include both male and female children, as well as recognizing mothers along with fathers and family qualities of unity.

In the Showa era (1926–1989), the popularity shifted from samurai dolls to miniature armor, and since the 21st century, miniature ''kabuto'' have become popular, probably due to the size of Japanese houses.

File:Two samurai dolls (28146117425).jpg, Two samurai dolls (''Musha Ningyo'', 武者人形)
File:Japanese Festival in Honor of the Birth of Children.jpg, '' Koinobori'', '' nobori'' and ''fukinuke'' (吹貫). "Japanese Festival in Honor of the Birth of Children" from ''Sketches of Japanese Manners and Customs'', by J.M.W. Silver, illustrated by native drawings, published in London in 1867
File:Utagawa Hiroshige - Suido Bridge and Surugadai, from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Edo Meisho Hyakkei) - Google Art Project.jpg, Ukiyo-e by Utagawa Hiroshige depicting ''koinobori''. Edo period

Celebration

On this day, families raise the '' koinobori'', carp-shaped windsock (because of the Chinese legend that a carp that swims upstream becomes a dragon and flies to Heaven, and the resemblance of the waving windsock to swimming fish), with a black carp for the father, a red or pink for the mother, and one carp (usually blue, and sometimes green and orange too) for each child. Traditionally, when celebrated as Boys' Day, the red ''koinobori'' was for the eldest son with blue and additional colors for younger brothers.

In modern times, Japanese families usually display miniature Japanese armor and ''kabuto'' called ''Gogatsu Ningyo'' (May doll) on Children's Day. These dolls are usually made in the style of '' ō-yoroi'' or '' dō-maru'' popular in the Heian (794–1185) and Kamakura periods (1185–1333), which is more showy in appearance than the ''tōsei gusoku'' style armor of the Sengoku period. There are also ''kabuto'' made to fit the size of a boy's head that can actually be worn. The formal ''Gogatsu Ningyo'' is displayed on a tiered shelf with a '' yumi'' (bow), '' tachi'' (long sword), Japanese war fan, and '' jingasa'' (samurai hats).

Until the Edo period, samurai dolls were more common than miniature armor and ''kabuto'', and the Japanese folk heroes Momotarō, Kintarō, Ushiwakamaru, Benkei, Emperor Jinmu, and Shoki were often chosen as subjects.

''Kashiwa mochi'' (sticky rice cakes filled with red bean jam and wrapped in oak leaves) and ''chimaki'' (sticky sweet rice wrapped in an iris or bamboo leaf) are traditionally served on this day. The oak leaf used for ''kashiwa mochi'' is said to be a tree whose old leaves do not fall off until new leaves appear, and is considered a good-luck charm representing prosperity of offspring.

Since irises are believed to have medicinal properties and to ward off evil, they are used for various purposes on May 5. For example, people would take a bath with irises in the bathtub, soak thinly sliced iris roots or leaves in sake and drink it, or put irises in thin ''washi'' (Japanese traditional paper) before putting it in their pillows and going to bed.

File:五月人形.jpg, ''Gogatsu Ningyo'' at Nakayama-dera.
File:Children's Festival Dolls.jpg, ''Gogatsu Ningyo'' from the Taishō era or early Shōwa era. Miniature armor in the '' ō-yoroi'' style (center), Samurai dolls featuring Shoki and Emperor Jinmu (back left and right), Samurai dolls wearing armor in the ''ō-yoroi'' and ''tosei gusoku'' styles (front)
File:Helmet for the Boy's Festival,Katori-city,Japan.jpg, ''Gogatsu Ningyo'' (''Kabuto'' type).
File:Kashiwa-mochi 001.jpg, ''Kashiwa mochi''.
File:Japanese chimaki1 large.jpg, ''chimaki''.

See also

* Shichi-Go-San
* Children's Day
* Double Fifth
* Tết Đoan Ngọ

References

External links

Kids Web Japan


Video on Children Day in Fukushima, Japan

Video on Children Day in Coffs Harbour, Australia

{{authority control

Public holidays in Japan
Festivals in Japan
May observances
Children's Day