koinobori (carp streamer)

koinobopri (carp streamer)

2014 June 6th

Until recently it was very popular custom to put up a carp streamer on May 5th for the cerebration of newly born boy and prey for his luck and health. People competed each other to put up as big streamer as possible which decorated blue fine sky of May.

Since a carp is as energetic as swimming up waterfall, it is considered to be suitable for the cerebration.

This custom originated from an early part of Edo period, unfortunately it is getting less to watch big streamers because of the housing surroundings.

By the way, Japan adopted solar calendar in Meiji 5th (1972). Until then, we used a kind of lunar calendar and May 5th falls on June 2nd of new solar calendar date.

Nowadays most traditional events are held under solar calendar, however depending on districts or particular events ,they still stick to lunar calendar.

Koinobori (centtama.exblog.jp)