子供の日
Children's Day (May 5th)
5月5日の「子供の日」は、子供の健全な成長と幸福を願う国民の祝日です。5月5日は、旧暦では夏の始まりを告げる「端午の節句(たんごのせっく)」に当たり、男の子の成長を祝う日でした。この日、男の子のいる家庭では、悪霊を追い払うために戸外にこいのぼりを掲げたり、室内に武者人形を飾って、子供の将来を祝います。子供は菖蒲湯(しょうぶゆ)につかり、柏餅(かしわもち)やちまきを食べます。鯉・武者・菖蒲・柏の木・竹は、力強さと勇敢さを象徴しています。この強さと勇敢さは、昔から特に男の子に望まれる資質なのです。
Children's Day is a national holiday in Japan when people pray for the health and happiness of children. The 5th day of the 5th month was celebrated as the Iris Festival in ancient times when the lunar calendar was used. The Iris Festival, tango-no-sekku in Japanese, marked the beginning of the summer, and people prayed for boys to grow and be healthy. Today, the Boy's Day Festival is on May 5th. Families that have boys put up carp-shaped streamers made of cloth (koinobori) outside. Samurai dolls in armor are displayed inside to drive away bad spirits and celebrate the future of the children. Children take hot baths with iris leaves called shobuyu, and eat kashowa-mochi and chimaki. Carp, samurai, irises, oak trees, and bamboo all symbolize strength and courage. Both of these traits have traditionally been desired, especially for boys.
端午の節句
が男の子のお祭りであるのに対し、3月3日の「桃の節句」は女の子のお祭りです。「桃の節句」は「ひな祭り」とも呼ばれ、女の子のいる家庭では雛(ひな)人形を飾ってお祝いをします。
the Iris Festival (tango-no-sekku)
While the Iris Festival is for boys, the Doll's Festival (hina-matsuri) on March 3rd is a festival for girls. On March 3rd, families that have girls display hina dolls, beautifully dressed dolls that represent members of the ancient imperial court, to wish for the girls to grow and be health.
shobuyu
Shobuyu is said to have a medical effect. It was also believed to purge human bodies of noxious vapors.
柏餅
柏の葉で包んだ餅で、餅の中にあんが入っています。
kashiwa-mochi
Kashiwa-mochi is a rice cake stuffed with sweet bean paste which is called an in Japanese. Each piece is wrapped in an oak leaf.
ちまき
もち粉で作った団子を竹や笹の葉で巻いて蒸した食べ物。
chimaki
Chimaki are dumplings made of rice flour wrapped in several bamboo leaves. They are steamed before eating.
