A childcare quiz to enjoy on Children's Day! Learn about traditions and customs

May 5

It was originally a day to pray for boys’ growth, but now it has become a day to wish happiness for all children. Large carp streamers are flown in the sky, carrying the hope that children will grow up strong and resilient. There is also a custom of eating kashiwa-mochi and chimaki. It is a wonderful holiday when the whole family celebrates children’s growth and cheers them on, saying, “Keep doing your best and stay healthy.”

1 type

The very first koinobori came in only one color. Originally, they were made with only a black carp, which was raised above a house’s pillar to celebrate a child’s growth. Later, colors like red, blue, and green were added to represent the number of family members and their wishes. In the Edo period, the techniques to make koinobori as colorful as they are today did not yet exist.

sake

Iris is said to have the power to ward off evil and protect health, and there is a custom of drinking shōbu-zake (iris liquor) around the time of the Boys’ Festival (Tango no Sekku). By savoring a small amount of sake infused with fragrant iris, people invigorate the body and pray for the safety and health of their families—one of Japan’s traditional observances.

three

In a household with three boys, it is considered best to prepare three sets of Boys’ Day dolls (Gogatsu Ningyo). These dolls are displayed with the wish that each child will be protected and grow up healthy. Therefore, it is traditionally regarded as proper etiquette to prepare one set per child. If there are three children, the idea is to prepare three sets, each imbued with heartfelt wishes for that individual child.

Kintaro

Kintarō is known in folktales as a strong and lively child. The reason Kintarō appears on top of carp streamers is to express the wish that children will grow up healthy and robust. Seeing the carp streamers swimming in the sky together with Kintarō conveys the feeling of cheering on children’s growth.

motorcycle

These days, in addition to traditional helmets and warrior dolls, dolls riding motorcycles are also being made as kid-friendly motifs. While preserving the wish for children to grow up healthy and strong, the designs are tailored so today’s kids can enjoy them. It’s one of the unique May dolls that the whole family can have fun celebrating with.

Height comparison

“Seikurabe” is a song that portrays the atmosphere of Children’s Day on May 5, depicting memories like marking heights with scratches on a pillar. Words such as “chimaki” (rice dumplings) and “hashira no kizu” (marks on the pillar) appear in the lyrics, conjuring up scenes of Children’s Day. It’s a children’s song perfect for the holiday, evoking the image of a child growing up under the watchful eyes of their family.