May 5 is Tango-no-Sekku (Boy’s Festival Day) Praying for the healthy growth of boys

In May, greens become more brilliant, and the fresh wind passes through the blue sky.

In Japan, there are national holidays in the beginning of May.
If Sunday is the holiday, next Monday becomes the substitute holiday, and this holiday season is called
Golden Week.

Everywhere in Japan is very crowded.

The last holiday of Golden Week is May 5, “Children’s Day”.
March 3 is a day to pray for the happiness of the girls though, May 5 is a day to pray for the healthy growth
of boys.
Following to the old calendar, it’s also said Tango-no-Sekku, and it was established as the celebration
for boys in nobles and samurai families in the Edo Period.

From the middle of April, people decorate children’s dolls on samurai an armor and the Boy’s May Festival Dolls
at home, and fly carp streamers outside.

In May 5, they eat “Kashiwamochi”, a rice cake wrapped in an oak leaf, and “Chimaki”, a rice cake wrapped in
bamboo leaves, and then, take a sweet-flag-bath.

During this season, you may see Kashiwamochi, Chimaki, and sweet-flags in the supermarkets.

So, why don’t you stay at the inn to enjoy the Children’s Day?

For example, there is Kayabukinosato Yakushionsen Hatago in a silent town in Gunma Prefecture.
It’s a tasteful inn where is surrounded by mountains and next to a river.

http://www.yakushi-hatago.co.jp/en/

After enjoying the Boy’s May Festival Dolls and carp streamers, you can enjoy hot springs and relax in
the tatami floored room.

It would be a wonderful day in May, when is a good season to be.

Next time, we shall introduce popular places to see carp streamers.

【Source of photos】:http://www.yakushi-hatago.co.jp/event/satsuki/

http://www.yakushi-hatago.co.jp/rooms/seseragi_o.html

Tags:tatami samurai TangonoSekku GoldenWeek ChildrensDay carpstreamers Kashiwamochi Chimaki