Commentary by Hank F. Miller Jr.
Hank is a former resident of Gloucester City NJ and owner of The Miller English School in Japan
\”May 5Th Is Children\’s Day in Japan.\”
May 5th is Children\’s Day. In contrast to Momo-no-sekku, or peach festival for girls on March 3rd, this day used to be called Tango-no-sekku, or the Boy\’s Day Festival.
After World War 11, May 5th was designated as Children\’s day and made a national holiday. Families with sons display warrior dolls and miniature helmets inside the house and fly very large carp streamers on long bamboo poles outdoors Families raise colorful carp-shaped \”Koinobori\” flags,one for each member of the family. The largest and uppermost flag represents the father, followed by the monther, and small carp to represent children.
The carp has the power to fight its way up fast flowing streams and even waterfalls and therefore, represents the courage and strength expected of boys.
Many Japanese eat chimaki, steamed rice cakes, and kashiwamochi, rice cakes stuffed with sweet bean past and wrapped in oak leaves, on and around Children\’s Day. There is also a custom of taking a hot bath with iris leaves in the water on May 5th This special bath is said to be good for the health.
Have a really great spring, here in Japan our weather is so beautiful presently and I have spent this past week a few hours each day planting flowers in our American Country Garden.
If I want to see a Japanese garden, I\’ve only to look over our wall and look into our neighbor\’s garden to see one.
Most traditional Japanese gardens are green-green-green with almost no flowers at all.
So you see I have plenty of traffic around my garden in both spring and summer with people wanting to see it.
Warm Regards from Japan From,
THE MILLER ENGLISH SCHOOL JAPAN
Hank F. Miller Jr.
This post was imported from a legacy archive. Please excuse any formatting inconsistencies.