150
display of dolls and images was very large and extremely beautiful.
The greatest day in the year for the boys is on the fifth day of the fifth month. On this day is celebrated what has been called the “Feast of Flags.” Previous to the coming of the day the shops display for sale the toys and tokens proper to the occasion. These are all of a kind suited to young Japanese masculinity. They consist of effigies of heroes and warriors, generals and commanders, soldiers on foot and horse, the genii of strength and valor, wrestlers etc. The toys represent the equipments and regalia of a daimio’s procession, all kinds of things used in war, the contents of an arsenal, flags, streamers, banners etc. A set of these toys is bought for every son born in the family. Hence in old Japanese families the display on the fifth day of the fifth month is extensive and brilliant. Besides the display indoors, on a bamboo pole erected outside is hung, by a string to the top of the pole, a representation of a large fish in paper. The paper being hollow, the breeze easily fills out the body of the fish which flaps its tail and fins in a natural manner. One may count hundreds of these floating in the air over the city.
The nobori, as the paper fish is called, is intended to show that a son has been born curing the year, or at least that there are sons in the family. The fish represented is the carp, which is able to swim swiftly against the current and to leap over waterfalls. This act of the carp is a favourite subject with native artists and is also typical of the young man, especially the young samurai, mounting over all difficulties to success and quiet prosperity.
One favorite game, which has how gone out of fashion, was that in which the boys formed themselves into a daimio’s procession, having forerunners, officers, etc. and imitating as far as possible the pomp and circumstance of the old daimio’s train. Another game which was very popular, was called the “Genji and Heiki.” These are the names of the celebrated rival clans or families Mainamoto and Taira. The boys of a town, district or school,
