Kodomo no hi, or Children's Day, is a Japanese national holiday celebrated on May 5 to wish all children prosperity. This day was once celebrated as the Boys' Festival. Some families fly carp streamers that are called "koinobori" from flagpoles in the garden. Also attached to the flagpoles are thin squid-shaped streamers called "fuki nagashi".
Inside the "tokonoma" or the alcove in washitsu, kabuto or a warrior's helmet is displayed.
There is special food eaten on this day: chimaki, a kind of rice cake wrapped in bamboo leaves, and kashiwamochi, some kind of manju wrapped in cherry leaves.