Kodomo no hi

May 5, 2003 1:36 PM

Kodomo no hi : May 5 is officially Children's Day in Japan, but it is traditionally all about boys. On this day, Japanese households make a display of ningyo musha (Samurai dolls), prepare and eat special food, hang carp streamers (koinobori) outside the house, and sing the Koinobori Song.
posted by SealWyf (6 comments total)

In Hawaii, at least, the separate "Boy's Day" (5/5) and "Girl's Day" (3/3) are still observed. I remember as a kid getting very excited about putting the carp up outside our house... although they're not as prevalent today as they were then.
posted by pzarquon at 1:49 PM on May 5, 2003

And then the world ends 10 days later?
posted by shoepal at 1:54 PM on May 5, 2003

A lil' more detail on Kintaro and Momotaro.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 1:56 PM on May 5, 2003

"According to the group's literature, Chino believes that an undiscovered planet is moving closer to the earth and will cause "cataclysmic" changes this summer."

Hope this is not a developing case of "Heaven's Gate: Part Doh!"
posted by Dunvegan at 2:44 PM on May 5, 2003

Yeah; the Japanese Girl's Day is on March 3rd as well.
posted by kaibutsu at 5:37 PM on May 5, 2003

It was children's day here in Korea yesterday.

I celebrated by coming out from under my bridge and capturing and eating a few.

Actually, it was weird. Any other freaking day, there are herds of the noisy little bastards racing around my neighbourhood shrieking and jabbering. Yesterday? An eerie silence. A pleasant silence, but somehow heavy with foreboding.

So far today, all is well.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:08 PM on May 5, 2003