The History of Children’s Day in Japan
The History of
Children’s Day In Japan
• This is a national holiday in Japan celebrated on May 5th. Started in 1948, Children's Day is a festive day dedicated to celebrating the health and happiness of all children. The holiday is believed to have begun in china where they would hang medicinal herbs to ward off childhood diseases.
In Japan it is often celebrated by giving children kites and hanging streamers. In Japan, the Children's Festival was originally called the “Boy's Festival” while the girls had the “Doll Festival”(March 3rd)
On Children's Day, children fly kites - often in the shape of carp. Carp are strong and brave fish that swim upstream, so Japanese parents want their children to be strong and brave like the carp.
Here is the Koinobori (Carp streamers) song.
Words by KONDO Miyako, Music by Unknown Author
(English Translation)
Carp streamers are higher than the roof
The biggest carp is the father
The small carp are children
Enjoying swimming in the sky.
Japanese Carp Kites
Koinobori, literally means
“koi = carp and nobori = to climb”
These tubular kites when they catch the wind are suppose to represent carp swimming upstream
International Children's Day (ICD) is celebrated in numerous countries, usually (but not always) on June 1 each year. ICD had its origin in the World Conference for the Wellbeing of Children in Geneva, Switzerland in 1925. It is not clear as to why June 1 was chosen as the ICD: one theory has it that the Chinese consul-general in San Francisco, California (USA) gathered a number of Chinese orphans to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in 1925, which happened to be on June 1 that year, and also coincided with the conference in Geneva.
The United States has adopted June 1 as the official International Children's Day. More than 30 states actively participate in the celebration
International Children's Day flag:
• The GREEN background symbolizes growth, harmony, and freshness. We are surrounded by the
Children’s Day In Japan
• This is a national holiday in Japan celebrated on May 5th. Started in 1948, Children's Day is a festive day dedicated to celebrating the health and happiness of all children. The holiday is believed to have begun in china where they would hang medicinal herbs to ward off childhood diseases.
In Japan it is often celebrated by giving children kites and hanging streamers. In Japan, the Children's Festival was originally called the “Boy's Festival” while the girls had the “Doll Festival”(March 3rd)
On Children's Day, children fly kites - often in the shape of carp. Carp are strong and brave fish that swim upstream, so Japanese parents want their children to be strong and brave like the carp.
Here is the Koinobori (Carp streamers) song.
Words by KONDO Miyako, Music by Unknown Author
(English Translation)
Carp streamers are higher than the roof
The biggest carp is the father
The small carp are children
Enjoying swimming in the sky.
Japanese Carp Kites
Koinobori, literally means
“koi = carp and nobori = to climb”
These tubular kites when they catch the wind are suppose to represent carp swimming upstream
International Children's Day (ICD) is celebrated in numerous countries, usually (but not always) on June 1 each year. ICD had its origin in the World Conference for the Wellbeing of Children in Geneva, Switzerland in 1925. It is not clear as to why June 1 was chosen as the ICD: one theory has it that the Chinese consul-general in San Francisco, California (USA) gathered a number of Chinese orphans to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in 1925, which happened to be on June 1 that year, and also coincided with the conference in Geneva.
The United States has adopted June 1 as the official International Children's Day. More than 30 states actively participate in the celebration
International Children's Day flag:
• The GREEN background symbolizes growth, harmony, and freshness. We are surrounded by the