Kodomo no Hi こどもの日, also known as Children's Day, is a public holiday that takes place annually on May 5th. It is a day devoted to respecting children's personalities and celebrating their happiness on the last day of Golden Week.
Many people remember this holiday as Tango no Sekku 端午の節句 (Boys' Day). In 1948 (post-WWII), the Japanese government renamed this celebration to Kodomo no Hi to include all children and lift the spirits of the country. However, the name "Boys' Day" is still popular in Hawaiʻi.
Families fly koinobori 鯉のぼり(carp-shaped windsocks) as symbols of strength and health. Traditionally, these colors would represent each family member:
| Black for the father | Red/pink for the mother or eldest son | One per child (blue, green, or orange) |
Families display gogatsu ningyo 五月人形 (May Dolls) for good fortune, and protection from diseases and evil. The warrior dolls wear miniature armor and kabuto 兜 (warrior helmet). These dolls symbolize courage and power. Children will make and wear origami 折り紙 (paper folding) helmets too!
Chimaki 粽 (rice cakes wrapped in bamboo leaves) and kashiwa mochi 柏餅 (rice cakes wrapped in oak leaves) are special festive foods eaten on Kodomo no Hi. These foods are believed to build vigor and ward off illnesses.
Taking a shoubu-yu 菖蒲湯 (a hot bath with fragrant floating Japanese iris leaves) is believed to ward off malicious spirits and misfortune. Iris leaves resemble sword blades that are used by traditional samurai 侍 (warrior).
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