KODOMO NO HI (CHILDREN’S DAY)
Wednesday 5th May is Kodomo no hi (Children’s Day) in Japan. It used to be called Tango no Sekku and was a festival for boys. It is still a special day for boys, but since World War 2 it has been a national holiday for all children. On the day, families in Japan erect a tall bamboo or wooden pole outside their houses and hang Koinobori (Koi fish shaped streamers). The carp was chosen as a symbol for boys because of its courage and strength to swim the current. This is the hope that children will grow up healthy and strong.