Carp Streamer
From the end of April to early May, koinobori are seen throughout Japan. Koinobori are carp streamers made of cloth or paper. In Japan, May 5th is Children’s Day, which is a national holiday. But in the past this day was called the Boys’ Festival, so that nowadays families with boys hoist carp streamers and display samurai armor and helmet in their homes, hoping for the boy’s health and strength.
It is believed that carp are strong enough to climb up waterfalls, and legend says that there is a big gate at the upper part of the Yellow River in China. This gate is called the “Dragon Gate” and it is said that carp which pass this gate will become dragons. This is why carp symbolize strength and promotion in the Boy’s Festival.
Koinobori are hooked on a pole with a big black carp first, followed by smaller red, blue or other colored carp. It is said that the black carp is the father and the other smaller carp are the children.
Other than families with boys, many organizations also raise carp streamers. Koinobori are set over such places as rivers, banks and parks and so countless carp swim in the sky all over Japan in late spring.
