golden week

In Japan we are about to enter Golden Week, when four national holidays are concentrated in a period of seven days. The last of these holidays is Kodomo-no-hi (Children's Day, sometimes called Boy's Day) on May 5.

Traditionally the festival celebrates the healthy growth of boys --girls having been covered by the Hinamatsuri Festival on March 3, which is not a national holiday. It is celebrated with displays and food that symbolize strength, perseverance, and bravery. These symbols include ancient samurai helmets, the Japanese iris, kashiwa-mochi (sweet sticky rice wrapped in an oak leaf), chimaki (sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves), and most famously, koinobori (carp-shaped windsocks) that are traditionally flown from flagpoles set up next to the house for that purpose. 

These etegami are works-in-progress, but I'll try to post a few completed versions soon. In the meantime, you might like to do a search on this blog for earlier etegami inspired by Children's Day. (Use the "search this blog" box in the sidebar).

the japanese iris

Shobu (or shoubu), is the Japanese Iris, a flower associated with the Japanese festival commonly known as Kodomo-no-hi or  Children's Day (May 5). In spite of the name, the festival mainly celebrates "boyhood," the way Hina-matsuri or Doll Day (March 3) celebrates "girlhood." Along with the koi-nobori (carp windsocks) that I have blogged about many times in the past, the Japanese Iris is one of several things displayed on Children's Day that symbolize the traditional "manly virtues" that parents hope their young sons will develop as they grow up to be men. The shape of the narrow leaves of this plant are reminiscent of the Japanese sword carried by the ancient warrior class, and the word Shobu has the same sound as another word that bears the meaning of bravely facing a challenge, or testing oneself in battle.

Challenge-themed quotes from 1 Thessalonians 5:8 (left) and 1 Corinthians 9:24 (right)