Koinobori

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Koinobori

Koinobori (鯉幟, Koi-nobori^?), meaning "carp banner" in Japanese, are carp-shaped wind socks traditionally flown in Japan to celebrate Children's Day^[1]. These wind socks are made by drawing carp patterns on paper, cloth or other nonwoven fabric. They are then allowed to flutter in the wind. They are also known as satsuki-nobori (皐幟, satsuki-nobori^?).

Koinobori flying in Oboke Koboke, Iya Valley, Tokushima Prefecture

Children's Day takes place on May 5. Landscapes across Japan are decorated with koinobori from April to early May, in honor of sons and in the hope that they will grow up healthy and strong.

A koinobori set consists of, from the top of the pole down, a pair of arrow-spoked wheels (矢車, yaguruma^?) with a ball-shaped spinning vane, flying-dragon streamer (飛龍吹流し, hiryū fukinagashi^?) that looks like a windsock, a black koinobori and a red koinobori. If more boys are in the household, an additional blue, green and then purple koinobori are added. The red koinobori's color can be varied as orange or pink. These carp sets are flown above the roofs of houses with sons, with the biggest (black) koinobori for the father, next biggest (blue) for the eldest son, and ranging down to the smallest carp for the youngest son.

These koinobori range from a few inches long to a few meters long. In 1988, a koinobori with length 100 m, and weight 350 kg was made in Kazo, Saitama.

There is a famous short Koinobori Song often sung by kids and their families:

Japanese:
屋根より高い鯉幟
大きな真鯉はお父さん
小さな緋鯉は子供たち
面白そうに泳いでる

Romaji:
Yane yori takai koi-nobori
Ōki na magoi wa o-tō-san
Chiisa na higoi wa kodomo-tachi
Omoshirosō ni oyoideru

Translation:
Higher than the roof-tops are the koinobori
The large Black Carp is the father
The smaller Golden Carp are the children
They seem to be having fun swimming.