After the excitement of cherry blossom season has passed, now it’s time for the carp streamers to flutter around here and there in May. Since New Year’s, various events and festivals have been repeated one after another, so there is no time to get bored. Well, saying this might just be the ramblings of an old person. Young people who are busy with work and life may not have time for such things. Putting that aside, let me give you a brief explanation about carp streamers. The origin of carp streamers is said to be from the Edo period. In households where a boy was born, it was customary to celebrate by setting up flags and banners with the family crest on them at the gate on May 5th to wish for “safety, good luck, and success”. They eventually turned into carp streamers. Initially, carp streamers were made by drawing carp pictures on washi paper, but over time, in the Taisho period, untearable brocade carp streamers were born. And in the mid-Showa period, synthetic fiber carp streamers that do not fade even when wet were introduced and have been passed down to modern times. As you may know, typical carp streamers are lined up with three carp swimming together. From the top, they are called Magoi, Higoi, and Koi in that order, and the Magoi represents the father, the Higoi represents the mother, and the Koi represents the child. It is said that this configuration was established only after the 30s of the Showa period, and until then, only Magoi and Higoi were made. Nowadays, there are even more variations, with windsocks attached and the number of Koi representing the number of boys, girls, or children. Just watching carp streamers fluttering in the sky can brighten one’s heart.

さくらの大騒ぎが過ぎたかと思えば、もう五月の鯉のぼりがあっちこっちで翻っています。正月以来、次々と様々な行事やイベントが繰り返され、退屈している暇もないほどです。まあこんなことを言うのも年寄りの繰り言かもしれません。仕事に追われ生活に追われている若い人達はそれどころではないかもしれません。それはさておき、鯉のぼりの蘊蓄を一言。鯉のぼりの発祥は、江戸時代と言われています。男の子が生まれた家では、５月５日になると「無難、無災、出世」を願う行事として、家紋がついた旗や幟（のぼり）などを門に立てて祝う風習がありました。当初の鯉のぼりは和紙に鯉の絵を描いたものでしたが、時を経て大正時代になると破れない錦の鯉のぼりが生まれ、さらに昭和三十年代半ばになると、雨に濡れても色落ちしない合成繊維の鯉のぼりが登場し、現代へと受け継がれています。ご存知の様に、一般的な鯉のぼりは三匹の鯉が連なっています。上から真鯉、緋鯉、子鯉の順で連なっており、真鯉はお父さん、緋鯉はお母さんで、子鯉は子供という設定です。こう言う設定になったのは、昭和３０年代以降と言われており、それまでは真鯉と緋鯉の二つまでしか作られていなかったそうです。今ではさらに、吹き流しが付き、子鯉も男の子の女の子、子供の数だけあったりします。大空に翻る鯉のぼりを見るだけでも心が晴れ晴れします。