Hello, everyone. How's everything?

 

In  Japan, we are looking forward to the big holidays, Golden Week. From the end of April to the beginning of May, there are continuous national holidays. This year, most Japanese people have holidays from May 3rd to 7th. Some companies have 9 days-long holidays from April 29th to May 7th!

 

Today, let us introduce one of the national holidays in Golden Week.

 

May 5th is the Children's Day. the Children's Day is for the respect to children's characters, promotion of children's happiness, and appreciation for their mothers.

 

The Children's Day is especially for the boys. Girls have another celebration day at March 3rd, "Hinamatsuri".

 

We have some customs at the Children's Day. Like the turkey for Thanksgiving Day, Japanese people eat "Kashiwa-mochi". Kashiwa-mochi is a rice cake (mochi) which contains bean jam. It is wrapped in an oak leaf (Kashiwa, in Japanese).

 

Oak leaves are believed to an auspicious leaf in Japan. Old oak leaves falls after new oak leaves bud. It seems parents pass the baton to their children. Therefore, kashiwa-mochi is eaten to pray for the prosperity of descendants.

 

In addition, parents display "Gogatsu-ningyo", samurai dolls and "Koi-nobori", a carp streamer. Both are displayed to pray for the growth of boys.

On the Hinamatsuri day, (March 3rd) "Hina-ningyo" is displayed for girls. We would like to tell you more about hinamatsuri in next spring.

 

Furthermore, we take "shoubu-yu"a bath with iris leaves. Iris leaves are believed to drive away evils.

 

Are you able to understand about Japanese Children's Day?

Each country has each holiday, and each holiday has each origin.

Isn't it interesting to know the holidays of other countries?

 

Please tell us your countries' holidays and the origins.

Now, I am looking forward to eating kashiwa-mochi on May 5th.

 

Today's recommended item

Japanese traditional and modern Arita porcelain, TY Palace plate