Surprisingly, there’s a lot we don’t know? A quiz to learn trivia about May!

washi (traditional Japanese paper)

Today’s koinobori are mainly made from polyester and nylon, but in the Edo period they were made from washi paper. At that time, washi was produced widely, but production declined after the war, and koinobori evolved into their current form.

number of items

The meaning of flowers can change depending on their color, but with roses, it can also change based on the number you give. For example, a single rose means “love at first sight,” 12 roses mean “please go out with me,” 99 roses mean “eternal love,” and 100 roses mean “100% love.”

America

Mother's Day is an event that originated in the United States. It began when a woman named Anna Jarvis lost her mother. In 1914, it was officially established as a national holiday in the U.S., and it was introduced to Japan in the late Meiji era.

Black, red, blue

Koinobori are usually arranged from top to bottom as follows: the black koi (magoi) for the father, the red koi (higoi) for the mother, and the blue one representing the child. When koinobori first appeared, there was only a single black carp, and even into the Meiji era there were just two colors: black and red. Incidentally, in the Meiji period the red carp represented a child, not the mother.

carnation

The flower traditionally chosen for Mother’s Day is the carnation. In particular, red carnations symbolize “love and respect,” while white carnations are said to represent “pure love and gratitude.” The custom of giving carnations on Mother’s Day became widely known after Anna Jarvis in the United States began the practice in 1908 to honor the memory of her mother.

From the legend that a carp overcomes every obstacle and becomes a dragon

The reason carp streamers are displayed on Children’s Day comes from a legend in China that says a carp in the Yellow River becomes a dragon after swimming up to a place called the Dragon Gate. This legend is associated with children bravely facing and overcoming difficulties, and by displaying carp streamers, people express their wishes for children’s healthy growth and success.

long holiday period

On NHK, when reporting about Golden Week in the news, they don’t say “Golden Week” but instead use the term “long holiday period.” This is said to have started in response to complaints from people who became busy after the oil shock and didn’t have time to take consecutive days off.