Children’s Day has a long history in Japan. It’s one of the five original celebrations that were held by the Imperial Court and was originally known as Tango no Sekku. It was held on the fifth day of the fifth moon in the Chinese calendar, but when Japan switched to using the Gregorian calendar, it was moved to May 5th (the fifth day of the fifth month). The holiday was called Boys’ Day for a long time as a counterpart to Hinamatsuri, or Girls’ Day, on March 3rd. But in 1948, the name was changed to Children’s Day to allow the holiday to celebrate the happiness and well-being of all children.

Children’s Day is usually celebrated by flying koinobori, which are carp-shaped windsocks that traditionally come in colours with significance. Black is for the father, red for the mother, and blue (or sometimes orange or green) for each child in the family in the modern celebration of Children’s Day. Each child’s koinobori will be a different colour based on their age and position in the family. Historically, when it was still Boy’s Day, the koinobori was flown for each boy in the household. Carps were chosen because of the Chinese legend that when a carp swims upstream, it will become a dragon, and the carp flag flying in the wind looks like it is swimming. A doll of Kintaro, a hero from the Heian period, was also displayed riding a carp, along with a Samurai helmet.

All of these things represent strength and vitality for the boys. Today, many of these traditions still hold true, though they represent happiness and vitality for all the children in the household. The Kintaro doll and helmet are much more rarely displayed these days than the koinobori, which can be seen all over modern Japan during Golden Week. Sticky rice cakes full of red beans and wrapped in oak leaves, called kawashi mochi, and sweet sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves, called chimaki, are also eaten for Children’s Day and can be purchased at most supermarkets in Japan around May 5th.

Okay, so now that we know a bit more about the history of Children’s Day and how it is celebrated, let’s talk about some examples from anime! One of the best instances is in Pokemon Episode 53, The Purr-fect Hero. The story is set on Kids’ Day, which is quite obviously Children’s Day. Ash, Misty, and Brock let preschool kids play with their Pokemon to celebrate, and even Jesse and James remember their own Kids’ Day memories from childhood. The coolest thing, though, are the koinobori, which are Gyarados, Goldeen, and Magikarp!

Another great example of Children’s Day in anime is in Doraemon, a beloved anime for Japanese children. In Episode 362, “Catch the Carp Streamer!,” Suneo is disappointed when his koinobori does not have enough wind to make it fly. When he discovers that Nobita’s koinobori is flying beautifully in the sky, Suneo investigates further and discoveres his secret—feeding the carp a special snack! Unfortunately, Sueno feeds his koinobori far too much food, unleashing chaos when it grows too large and has too much energy. It's a fun, short episode that is appropriate for kids of all ages to watch to see a bit more about Children’s Day in Japan.