Children's Day in Japan

A few weeks ago, one of my storytime moms informed me that Children's Day is coming up on May 5 in Japan!

We all hear about Cinco de Mayo, but never Children's Day, which is celebrated on the same date.

In Japan, carp fish windsocks, called koinobori, are hung around cities and towns.  They are hung everywhere from busy streets, to front porches, and strung across wide rivers and streams. The koinobori symbolize strength, bravery, courage, and determination in children because these are the qualities of carp fish who have the ability to swim upstream.

In honor of this special holiday, our storytime craft was koinobori, made with toilet paper rolls, construction paper, crepe paper streamers, and a string for them to hang.

While Children's Day is not a holiday in the United States, I think we can all agree that children should be celebrated every day.

https://jobsinjapan.com/living-in-japan-guide/childrens-day/

https://blog.gaijinpot.com/golden-week-2019-make-the-most-of-this-years-super-sized-break/

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2020/05/02/travel/what-is-golden-week/

Our koinobori crafts