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Koinobori, Japanese Carp Flag, history and customs in Japan | OrientalSouls.com

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Have you seen carp flags flown in Japan? It’s like fishes flying in the air. These flags are called Koinobori, meaning carp flags, which is a traditional

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Japanese Children's Song - 童謡 -  Koinobori - こいのぼり

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Gunma Koinobori Village Festival - こいのぼりの里まつり- 4K Ultra HD

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We all know Mexico celebrates Cinco do Mayo on Sunday, but did you know on the same day Japan is celebrating Boy's day? (/ childrens day).

When I lived in Japan I loved seeing all the wind sock carps flying high above peoples' homes. Each carp signifies a boy in the family (don't worry, girls get their own day in March). My picture above really doesn't do it justice. The flying koinobori is a beautiful sight. I'm feeling a little 'homesick' for Japan (and it's been 8 years since I've lived there) so in memory, I made a little mini koinobori to celebrate.

These aren't for hanging high above your home, but you can certainly wave them around and watch the pretty colours fly!
This DIY is very kid friendly. If you have a son or two (heck girls too!), why not celebrate Boy's day with them and make some? Here's what you need:

You also need a bit of white paper and black marker to make the eyes.
String or yarn can be used instead of twine.
If you do plan to wave these around like a mad man/boy, I suggest using hot glue gun for steps 8 and 9.

Steps

1 In 3-4 colours, cut out several circles of tissue paper, approx 1.5 inches in diameter, then cut those in half to make semi circles. Place a piece of double sided tape around the bottom of your roll. Start placing the straight edge of each semi circle on the double sided tape, overlapping slightly so no roll shows underneath. Ensure the curved end of the semi circle hangs off the roll so it isn't attached. This end will be the fish's tail. Complete all the way around.

2 Leave a 5cm gap and place another strip of double sided tape around the roll, repeating with the semi circles. The colour order doesn't matter much, just do what you think looks good. You will have to overlap a fair bit and not all the ends will be taped down. Leave them. The next layer should cover them.

3 Repeat all the way to the top, making sure you finish with the tape and half circles around the top of the roll. This is the head. At this point, if there are any half circles that are still sticking up, use double sided tape to stick them down.

4 Cut out a circle with white paper (approx. 1 inch in diameter) then use a black marker to draw a large circle inside for the eye. Use double sided tape to stick onto the side of the head.

5 Cut strips of tissue paper using the same colours as your semi circles. At the tail end, carefully place a piece of double sided tape around the inside bottom of the roll. One by one, stick a long piece of tissue paper to the tape, going all the way around until it's covered.

6 Trim any ends if necessary so they're about the same length. Repeat steps 1-6 to make two more carp.

7 Cut three pieces of twine about 7 inches long. Double knot each one onto your dowel, making sure the ends are even.

8 On the head side, place a piece of double sided tape inside the roll, opposite the eye. Start with the top knotted twine on the dowel and secure the loose ends onto the tape inside the roll. If you plan to swing this koinobori around, use hot glue instead, or place another piece of tape on top the twine.

9 Repeat on the opposite side, just behind the eye. Repeat for the next two carp.

The traditional koinobori colours are black, red, blue, green and sometimes purple or orange. Black is for the father, red for the eldest and so forth. But call me a non-traditionalist. I loved making these in all sorts of fun colours!

In my family we would just have one black and one red carp hanging.
How many carp would you have flying on your koinobori?

Enjoy waving your koinobori, and happy boy's day!

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DIY Mini Koinobori - Japanese flying carp DIY - Squirrelly Minds

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Make mini koinobori (Japanese flying carp) to celebrate children's day on May 5th. A fun DIY for kids and great way to teach celebrations around the world.

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Yoroi Kabuto Kacchu Kobo (Armor workshop), Marutake Sangyo. -Beautiful People, Beautiful Japan-

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Hôtel Drouot. Armures Japonaises des XVIe, XVIIe et XVIIIe Siècles: Casques, Chapeaux et Masques de Guerre, Armes Diverses, Gardes de Sabres, Objets en Fer, Cloisonnés Chinois, Laques du Japon, Pierres Dures. Paris: Hôtel Drouot, April 21-26, 1913. no. 100.

Nickel, Helmut. "Arms and Armor from the Permanent Collection." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (Summer 1991), pp. 60-61, 64, ill.

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Helmet (Suji-kabuto Akoda-nari) | Japanese | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Hôtel Drouot. Armures Japonaises des XVIe, XVIIe et XVIIIe Siècles: Casques, Chapeaux et Masques de Guerre, Armes Diverses, Gardes de Sabres, Objets en Fer, Cloisonnés Chinois, Laques du Japon, Pierres Dures. Paris: Hôtel Drouot, April 21-26, 1913. no. 100. Nickel, Helmut. "Arms and Armor from the Permanent Collection."

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Dean, Bashford. "A Specimen of Early Japanese Armor." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (January 1908), pp. 13-14, ill.

Dean, Bashford. Notes on Arms and Armor. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1916. pp. 21-22, ill.

Yamagami, Hachiro, and Yamagami. 日本甲胄の新研究 (Nihon katchū no shinkenkyū) (Modern Study of Japanese Armor). Vol. 2. Tokyo, Shōwa 3 (1928). p. 71, pl. 25.

Okada, Yuzuru, and Tōkyō Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan. Pageant of Japanese Art: Ceramics and Metalwork from 551 (pre-Buddhist) to 1868 (Edo period). Vol. 4. Tokyo: Tōto Bunka, December 1952. pp. 53-54, 80, 90, pl. 44, ill. a similar o-yoroi example cited.

Grancsay, Stephen V. "The New Galleries of Oriental Arms and Armor." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (May 1958), pp. 254-256, ill.

Grancsay, Stephen V. "The Japanese Armour Gallery in the Metropolitan Museum of Art." The Connoisseur (September 1961), opp. p. 12, ill.

Hakuseki, Arai, and H. Russell Robinson. The Armour Book in Honchō-Gunkikō, edited by H. Russell Robinson. London: Holland Press, 1964. opp. p. 25, pl. IV a, b, d.

Vianello, Gianni. Armi in Oriente. 1st ed. ed. Milan: Fratelli Fabbri Editori, 1966. pp. 107, 110, pl. 51.

Barnhart, Richard M. Asia, edited by John P. O'Neill. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1987. pp. 32-33, no. 12, ill.

Nickel, Helmut. "Arms and Armor from the Permanent Collection." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, (Summer, 1991), pp. 56-57, 64, ill.

Ogawa, Morihiro, and Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum. Art of Armor: Samurai Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2012. p. 97, fig. 8.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Thomas P. Campbell. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Guide. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2012. p. 159, ill.

Pyhrr, Stuart W. "Of Arms and Men: Arms and Armor at the Metropolitan, 1912-2012." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (Summer 2012), p. 12, fig. 14.

La Rocca, Donald J. "Asian Arms and Armour at The Met." Arts of Asia (March-April 2019), pp. 58-59, fig. 2.

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Armor ( Yoroi ) of Ashikaga Takauji (1305-1358) | Japanese | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Dean, Bashford. "A Specimen of Early Japanese Armor." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (January 1908), pp. 13-14, ill. Dean, Bashford. Notes on Arms and Armor. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1916. pp. 21-22, ill. Yamagami, Hachiro, and Yamagami. 日本甲胄の新研究 (Nihon katchū no shinkenkyū) (Modern Study of Japanese Armor).

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HISTORY OF THE SAMURAI ARMOR
The basic armor was developed in Japan in the first half of the 4th century. The Japanese armor evolved from the armors that were used in China and Korea during those times. The Samurai armor evolved from armors known as Tanko and Keiko. The first one was used by the foot soldiers and the second one was used by the cavalry. These were the armors which led to the manufacturing of samurai armor as we know today. Initially, only basic cuirasses were developed in Japan along with the helmets. A cuirass is comprised of 2 pieces, that is, one piece protects the chest and another piece protects the back. Both of these pieces were attached together with the metal strips.
During the Heian period which dated from 794 to 1185, a large focus was put on evolving the armors to accommodate warfare at the time, which led to the samurai armor we are familiar with today. The use of leather and lacquer in samurai armor significantly increased during this period of time. During the Heian period, the samurai armor was perfected and was extended to cover the entire body rather than just the upper torso. For a long period of time only leather and iron strips were used to construct the armors but later on, the use of silk lace to connect the individual pieces of armor also became popular. The basic material to construct the armor, however, remained the same which was individual scales made from iron. These individual scales are also known as Kozane. During the 16th century, however, the Samurai armor changed significantly due to the increasing Japanese trade with Europe.
The Portuguese introduced Tanegashima to the Japanese, which was a primitive form of firearm, due to which the Japanese armor manufacturers had to change the way in which they constructed samurai armor. The armors up until then were unable to protect samurai warriors from firearms, which necessitated the changes. Instead of the iron strips which were being used earlier, now the samurai armor manufacturers started using iron and steel plates. These were necessary to produce bullet proof armors known as Tameshi gusoku. This enabled the samurai warriors to use the armor and stay protected even in the battles consisting of firearms.
Japan entered a peaceful period after the 1600s and thereafter the samurai armors were used a symbol of prestige and status instead of actual war armors. Right up until 1877 these various armor types were being used in japan. Their last use in an actual act of war was in 1877 during the Satsuma Rebellion.

​PARTS OF THE SAMURAI ARMOR
​
The Samurai armor consisted of many different parts to cover almost each and every part of the body. Each armor type is different however some of the most common parts of samurai armor are listed below.

Dou or Dō - Dou is the armor part which is worn on the chest. It was constructed from iron plates or sometimes leather plates. The dou also sometimes consisted of medals and pendants. The size of the dou would often vary according to the individual who would be wearing it.
Kote - These were sleeves which extended from the shoulder all the way to the wrists. Kote was created by putting a cover of clothing over the iron plates of various sizes. The exact size was dependent on the samurai warrior wearing it.
Tekko - Tekko are gloves of the armor. They were made according to the size of the hands of the warrior. The construction was done with the help of small iron plates. The plates were joined together in such a way that it enabled proper hand movement including knuckle movements.
Haidate - Haidate was used to protect the thighs specifically. Haidate was, however, made with very small iron or leather plates so that the warrior was able to change the posture at a short notice. These plates were connected together with the help of chains and thereafter sewn with a cloth.
Suneate - These were the shin guards and consisted of small plates held together by chains and thereafter sewn to cloth and were specifically used to protect the calf.
Kusazuri - The kusazuri was also constructed from iron plates or leather plates. It is used to protect the lower body. It usually hangs from the dou.
Sode - These are the shoulder plates which are rectangular in shape. They were made from the same materials, that is either leather plates or iron plates or sometimes both.
Shikoro - The shikoro is a set of layered steel or leather straps that combined are the neck guard. This attaches to the kabuto and is intended to protect the samurai from any objects aimed at the nape of their neck.
Kabuto - Kabuto is nothing but the helmet. Even though it was made from same materials namely, leather plates or iron plates but the number of plates used were much higher, sometimes going up to 100. These plates were held together using rivets. Another part which was attached to the Kabuto is the shikoro which was used to protect the neck. It consisted of curved strips of iron or leather.
Wakidate - These were the buffalo horns which were attached to the kabuto.
Menpo - This was the face plate which was attached to the kabuto. It was made from an iron plate. It had slits for eyes, nose, and mouth. The rest of the face of the samurai warrior was always covered with Menpo.
Other Parts of the Samurai Armor
Tateage - Tateage in the armor was specifically used to shield the knees. It was in the form of semi-circular discs, which enabled easy mobility for the warriors. It was generally made from steel plates.
Kogake - Kogake is a part of the armor which covers the feet. These were made from strips of leather sewn together.
Mabisashi - This was the plate which was attached to the front of the Kabuto. The plate was made from iron. The function of the plate was to protect the forehead.
Yodare-kake - The yodare-kake was used to protect the throat. It was made from horizontal rows of iron or leather plates. It was suspended from the bottom of the Mengu which was used to keep Kabuto in place. Mengu was used for tying the Kabuto. Various metal strips were used to tie it and keep it in place.
These are the most common parts of the Samurai armor, however each suit is completely different and may compose various other elements or lack some of those .

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HISTORY OF THE SAMURAI ARMOR The basic armor was developed in Japan in the first half of the 4th century. The Japanese armor evolved from the armors that were used in China and Korea during those times. The Samurai armor evolved from armors known as Tanko and Keiko.

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Ohagi / Botamochi (Japanese Sweet Sticky Rice Balls) おはぎ/ぼたもちの作り方 - OCHIKERON - CREATE EAT HAPPY

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Kashiwa Mochi (Rice Cakes Wrapped in Oak Leaves) レンジで簡単！柏餅の作り方 - OCHIKERON - CREATE EAT HAPPY