Childrens Day in Okinawa

My first blog in forever and I'm sure that you have all given up on even looking to see if I've posted anything. Well we are getting settled in here in Okinawa and the first really cool pictures I've taken were of Childrens day, which is May 5. It is part of Golden week which consists of many different festivals. On Childrens day many people fly carp wind socks on a pole in front of there home. The rainbow streamers, called fukinagashi, on the top represents tumultuous waters, the black carp, called a magoi, represents the father, the red carp called the higoi, represents the mother. Then any smaller carps below them represent the children. I wasnt able to get the kids carps yet, but we flew the rest at our house in honor of the holiday. The carp flages are proudly raised in hopes that boys and girls would emulate the carp's virtuous qualities of perseverance and strength.