Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Why the carps streamers are flying in Japan?


(sorry, the sound is terrible)

Well, this style of flying carp streamers is not an ordinal way in a private house.
Usually we set a tall pole in a family garden and fly carp streamers like a windsock.
This is the way they put a large number of streamers for display at the museum garden downtown in Nagoya for the Children's Day on May 5.
The museum sets these streamers weeks in advance and many family visitors enjoy them every year.

Why do we put the carp streamers?
In Japan a carp represents one of auspicious items in Japan.
It has originally come from a Chinese traditional legend that a carp upstreams a river to become a dragon. That is why a carp is considered as a symbol of strength and success.

I love watching colorful carp streamers flying in the wind as if they are summing in the river.

(this image from a website for children)

8 comments:

Anya said...

I love carps
they looks so friendly :)
Nice post today !!
The first picture,
the carp is in Dutch colors
red white bleu ;)
The movie is great but the noise........LOL
Have a GREAT day ^___^

Mekkan said...

Hi, Anya. Thank you for your comment. Yes, sorry about the noise. I'm afraid anyone else won't feel it much annoying.

Dionne said...

Your culture is so beautiful. I love how it's full of symbols and tradition and meaning. These carp flags are lovely - all that color is so pretty flapping against the blue sky.

inkWELL Press said...

I love reading about traditions like this - I've seen the streamers before but had no idea as to why they were flown.

I feel like each time I visit your blog, I get to take a little trip to Japan. Maybe I can go for real sometime soon!

Janine said...

I had maney carps in my pont, but not like these, ;)), very nice story, thank you for sharing. Best wishes, Jeany

Pamela said...

Thanks so much for sharing! I love learning about other cultures. Someday I'm going to visit Japan with my dear friend, Yumiko. :) I can't wait!

Thanks, also, for adding me to your blog list!

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

I love the symbolisms & how the young people still embraces the tradition! ~Domo-Harikato* for linking my blog...

littletiara said...

oh! I love those scraps! They're pretty! And colorful too! And also meaningful! Yeah, japanese cultures are beautiful, oh, the project on my blog also connected to Japanese culture! The paper cranes!