Children’s Day (Kodomo no Hi) 2023: Date, History, Facts about Childhood Development

Kodomo no Hi, or Children’s Day, is an annual Japanese holiday observed on May 5th. It is intended to honour the uniqueness of children and to commemorate their happiness. The Japanese government declared Kodomo no Hi a national holiday in 1948, but it has been celebrated for much longer. On this day, families construct ‘koinobori,’ or carp-shaped windsocks, with various coloured carps for each family member. Before adopting the Gregorian calendar, the holiday was observed on the fifth day of the fifth moon according to the Chinese calendar.

The background of Children’s Day (Kodomo no Hi)

Kodomo no Hi was originally celebrated as Tango no Sekku and was one of the five annual ceremonies, known as Gosekku, conducted at the imperial court. On the fifth day of the fifth moon in the Chinese calendar, the Japanese equivalent of Double Fifth was observed. The date was changed to May 5 after Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar.

It is believed that Tango no Sekku was first observed during the tenure of the 33rd Japanese monarch, Empress Suiko. In Japanese history, it was first designated to the fifth day of the fifth month after the Nara period. Before 1948, Tango no Sekku was known as Boys’ Day and Girls’ Day was celebrated separately. However, on March 3, 1948, the Japanese government proclaimed this day to be a national holiday, renamed Kodomo no Hi, to honour the happiness of all children, regardless of gender, and to show appreciation for mothers.

Families elevate koinobori, or carp-shaped windsocks, on this day, with a black carp representing the father, a red or pink carp representing the mother, and a green, orange or blue carp for each child. This custom is based on a Chinese legend about a koi that swims upstream and transforms into a dragon.

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5 FACTS ABOUT CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

Children laugh approximately 300 times per day, while adults chuckle approximately 20 times per day.

Children may have difficulty distinguishing voices from background sounds, making it more difficult for them to respond to direct speech.

Approximately 90% of newborns are right-handed.

Around five months of age, infants begin to observe and pay attention to television.

Children are only able to see in black and white at birth, and their colour vision develops some time later.

CHILDREN’S DAY (KODOMO NO HI) DATES