Cultural Tips “Children's Day

May 5th is Children’s Day, a national holiday in Japan that celebrates the healthy growth and happiness of children.
Around this time, colorful carp-shaped streamers, known as koinobori, can be seen fluttering in the wind. Families with young sons display these streamers outside their homes as a tradition that expresses hopes for boys to grow up strong and successful. Carp are symbols of resilience, courage, and achievement.
This belief originates from a Chinese legend in which a carp that swims upstream through powerful rapids transforms into a dragon and soars into the sky.