Next: 5 May 2027
Children's Day in Japan
Carp streamers fly from poles, boys' helmets are set out, and children eat kashiwamochi and chimaki.
When is Children's Day in Japan in 2027?
Children's Day in Japan 2027 is on Wednesday, 5 May 2027. Other years: 2026, Tuesday, 5 May 2026; 2028, Friday, 5 May 2028.
About Children's Day in Japan
On 5 May, Japan celebrates children and wishes them happy and healthy growth. It began as Tango no Sekku for boys, and families still fly koinobori, carp-shaped windsocks, one for each member of the family, in a bright array from poles in the garden. The carp is a symbol of strength and perseverance because of the story of a carp that swims up a waterfall to become a dragon. Inside, families display a set of warrior dolls or a samurai helmet. Children eat kashiwamochi, rice cakes wrapped in oak leaf, and chimaki, and take a bath with iris leaves, shobu-yu, which are thought to protect health. The day was changed to cover all children in 1948.
Children's Day in Japan dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Children's Day in Japan date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, 5 May 2026 |
| 2027 | Wednesday, 5 May 2027 |
| 2028 | Friday, 5 May 2028 |
What is eaten
- kashiwamochi
- chimaki
Traditions of Children's Day in Japan
Also part of it, and being written: Kashiwa mochi (The oak-leaf rice cake.), Tango no Sekku (The original boys' festival.).
More marked on Children's Day in Japan
🇯🇵 JapanChildren's Dayこどもの日
A Japanese holiday on May fifth celebrating the happiness and growth of childrenFestival
🇯🇵 JapanGolden Weekゴールデンウィーク (Gōruden Wīku)
A major Japanese holiday period from late April to early May featuring four public holidays and widespread travel.Festival
🇯🇵 JapanTango no sekku端午の節句
A Japanese seasonal festival for children marked with carp streamers and iris leaves.Festival · Sweets given and shared
🇮🇳 Delhi, IndiaChildren's Day
An annual Indian celebration of children and their welfare held on 14 NovemberCeremony
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Children's Day" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Children's Day: Comissão de Jovens, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Koinobori: 663highland, CC BY 2.5, source
- Tango no sekku: tiseb, CC BY 2.0, source
- Children's Day: Unknown author, Public domain, source