is a public holiday in Japan which takes place annually on May 5 and is the final celebration in Golden Week. It is a day set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness. It was designated a national holiday by the Japanese government in 1948, but has been a day of celebration in Japan since ancient times.
The custom of displaying mini Japanese armor and kabuto (helmets) on Children's Day, called Gogatsu Ningyo (May doll), has its origins in the Kamakura to Muromachi periods (1333–1573). Samurai used to take their armor, kabuto, and Japanese swords out of their storage boxes in May before the rainy season to take care of them. Since this was the time of the Tango no Sekku, they began to display armor, kabuto, and Japanese swords in the hope of protecting their children. Until 1948, Children's Day was known as Boys' Day (also known as Feast of Banners), celebrating boys and recognizing fathers, as the counterpart to Hinamatsuri, or "Girl's Day" on . In 1948, the name was changed to Children's Day to include both male and female children, as well as recognizing mothers along with fathers and family qualities of unity.
In the Showa era (1926–1989), the popularity shifted from samurai dolls to miniature armor, and since the 21st century, miniature kabuto have become popular, probably due to the size of Japanese homes. and the resemblance of the waving windsock to swimming fish), with a black carp for the father, a red or pink for the mother, and one carp (usually blue, and sometimes green and orange too) for each child. Traditionally, when celebrated as Boys' Day, the red koinobori was for the eldest son with blue and additional colors for younger brothers.
In modern times, Japanese families usually display miniature Japanese armor and kabuto called Gogatsu Ningyo (May doll) on Children's Day. These dolls are usually made in the style of ō-yoroi or dō-maru popular in the Heian (794–1185) and Kamakura periods (1185–1333), which is more showy in appearance than the tōsei gusoku style armor of the Sengoku period. There are also kabuto made to fit the size of a boy's head that can actually be worn. The formal Gogatsu Ningyo is displayed on a tiered shelf with a yumi (bow), tachi (long sword), Japanese war fan, and jingasa (samurai hats). The oak leaf used for kashiwa mochi is said to be a tree whose old leaves do not fall off until new leaves appear, and is considered a good-luck charm representing prosperity of offspring.