Happy Children`s Day all!
I didn`t realize that Children`s Day was celebrated in a lot of different countries- it is of course on different days but it was interesting to read that Korea celebrates on the same day as Japan (Today, May 5) and that also June 1st is another date that pops up for a lot of different countries Children`s Day. Even Australia has one- they celebrate the universal Children`s Day on November 20! It is amazing what Wikipedia can teach you! 
We didn`t do anything special for Noah`s first Children`s Day really since now Shun has the cold that I had late last week and over the weekend. Although we celebrated with Shun`s family just over a week ago by going out for lunch (and Noah received money from his grandparents and also gifts from BIL/SIL). Several weeks ago his great grandmother also came over the house with Jiji (grandad) to set up some Children`s Day Children`s Day statues (not sure what you would call them- symbols I guess) including the famous kabuto (helmet). These were things she bought for Shun & his brother when they were younger so they are over 30 years old. We can keep them out at the moment since Noah is not really mobile but next year I think we will just set them up at Shun`s parents house- or maybe here but in the other room so that I could keep a toddler from climbing over them!
We also bought and set up koinobori (flying carp) a couple of weeks ago- we hung them inside up until today since we are not technically supposed to hang anything off our balcony. Shun moved them outside though just for today.
It is a bit of a shame we couldn`t really spend the day outside today since the weather was awesome. Maybe next year we will have a kodomo no hi (this is what the day is called in Japanese) picnic or BBQ!
For those that don`t know Children`s Day (which was originally known as Boy`s Day since Japanese girls have hinamatsuri or Doll`s Festival in March- it was changed to Children`s Day after WW2) is a day in which we celebrate children`s happiness and respect their different personalities. It is the last day of the Golden Week holiday as well. We celebrated the day by cleaning up lots of Noah`s drool which is in abundance, STILL!
Thanks to everyone who responded with a comment on the last post also. Was interested to see what kinds of things were in your first posts, who commented and get to know more about why you blog! Was lovely to come home from our trip (which I will try and post about soon) and be able to read so many comments.
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I am just a twenty something Aussie girl living in Chiba, Japan with my Japanese husband trying to make sense of the crazy Japanese world we live in! We welcomed our first son in December 2009 (Noah) and a second son in January 2011, 2 months premature (Shion). I am working hard at raising them to be confident, bilingual, happy kids!
They don’t have this day in America! As a kid, my aunt would make some day during the summer her own “kid’s day” because she didn’t think it was right that there was a mother’s day and father’s day but no kid’s day.
Here we celebrate Cinco de Mayo (the fifth of May) by going out and eating Mexican food. Lots of hispanic areas have a big celebration too.
Happy Childrens day to Noah, Noah`s kabuto is almost identical to my sons, which was also passed down from his father. My son being 9 years old decided to try it on this year, must post a pic. Isn`t it nice the weather is finally warming up here in Japan. Desley
Love your pics! The weather is great, isn’t it? My favourite weather usually falls in Golden Week. Not too hot (although getting there!) to go out and have fun. I love your koinobori. Don’t think anyone would really say anything about you hanging it out just for a little while. Lots of them hanging out of balconies here too
We didn’t get one again, which I was kind of sad about. Was it expensive? That was Yusuke’s excuse..but we WILL get one next year!
Happy Children’s Day Noah!! I love his children day decorations, especially his koinobori
I love seeing all the kites flying around at this time of the year.
The weather has definitely gotten a LOT warmer these last few days. It is actually starting to feel like spring now – although I have a funny feeling that this summer is going to be a hot one!!
Love the last pic of Noah – too cute!!
ahh look at teh drool!