Koinobori (Carp Windsocks / Carp Streamers)

Last month, as I was walking on the street in Fukui City near Fukui Prefectural Hospital,

I saw Koinobori. Koinobori is at least three set of carp windsocks, carp streamers or

carp banners which are usually hang on a pole from April to early May.

 

Until about 10years ago, many people used to hang up their Koinobori by their houses

but not so many of them do so now. Because of apartment rules and regulations

which don’t let residents put their large Koinobori on balconies, low birthrate

and/or many tall buildings were built, we hardly see Koinobori nowadays.

 

Koinobori was started in Edo era(1615-1868) and it was for the celebration

of the Tango no Sekku festival (the festival for boys, now it’s known as the Children’s Day)

on May 5th. This festival was the important day for Tokugawa shogunate

(the last feudal Japanese military government) and people celebrated at Edo Castle.

 

Whenever Shogun (the top class Japanese feudal lords of Japan) had baby boys,

people celebrated for the babies on May 5th by putting up banners.

 

Putting up the banners to celebrate for the birth of baby boys

became popular among Samurai families as well.

 

And then, it started becoming popular among others who were not Shogun or Samurai.

 

Not to be feeling lower than Samurai families,

people who were rich but not Shogun or Samurai started putting up the banners as well.

They started drawing pictures of carps on banners.

Carp symbolizes courage and strength because it can swim up a waterfall.

It is said that this was the beginning of Koinobori.

Like the carps which can swim up a waterfall, parents in Edo era wished

that their children would be healthy, strong and success as they grew up.

Even now, parents wish their children’s health and success

by hanging up their Koinobori by their houses around Children’s Day (May 5th).

 

If you ever have a chance to see Koinobori, please remeber how and why it started.

T.F