Hotel Green Park Tsu

'Children's Day' at the Gokoku-jinja shrine

by luciano

May 5th is 'Children's Day' in Japan; on this day Japanese families celebrate Tango-no-Sekku, the Boys' Festival. From the latter half of April to early May, one sees nearly everywhere huge, gay-colored Koi-Nobori, carp-like streamers made of paper or cloth, which fill with wind and seem to swim in the air. Together with long red and white ribbons, the carp are hoisted on a bamboo pole, mounted by a pair of gilded pinwheels, high above the rooftops. A carp is flown for each son in the family, a very large one for the eldest, the others ranging down in size.
This picture was taken in Gokoku-jinja shrine, near Tsu station.