[Erwin Miyasaka]: Japanese May Celebrations
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May in Japan is the month in which "Kodomo no hi" (kids), or children's day takes place. Currently, the party is for children of both sexes, but originally it was only for boys. The celebration is specifically the five of May. This festival has a Chinese origin and was developed as a purification ritual as it was believed that the fifth month of the year was bad and that the fifth day of May was particularly adverse. Other names that this month received was " the month of the rains " (although today this is truer in June, really) or sanaezuki, " the month of rice seedlings ." It is not known for sure when this festival began for children in Japan, but it is known that it was during the Nara period when the fifth day of the fifth month became the date chosen. However, it was not until 1948 that 5 May was declared a national holiday to celebrate the health and growth of all children and also express gratitude to the moth