If you are tired of battling the crowds at the airport during Golden Week, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the spring holidays here in Japan, and none more spectacular than the epic battle in the sky over Hamamatsu.
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During the last days of April and early May, a few of Japan’s national holidays are strewn together to form Golden Week. It’s the first long holiday of the year, a time to take a break from work, spend time with family and friends and travel.
Children’s Day (Kodomo-no-Hi) is one of these holidays; it falls on the fifth day of the fifth month (just like Mexico’s Cinco de Mayo). The holiday was originally called Tango-no-Sekku and was celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth moon in the lunar calendar (or Chinese calendar). It was, and still is, observed in other Asian countries. But after Japan’s switch to the Gregorian calendar, the date was set as May 5.
In 1948, the Japanese government declared the day a national holiday. The origins of the day began much earlier, however, when the holiday celebrated boys in particular, while Hinamatsuri (Girl’s Day) is celebrated on March 3. Typical Kodomo-no-Hi symbols include a boy riding a koi (carp) up a waterfall, a helmet, or a boy dressed in armor. Koi banners, called koi–no–bori, can often be seen flying high over traditional homes or from the balconies of apartment buildings.
Ornate, boldly-colored wind sock-styled flags depict the Japanese carp, resplendent in gold, with one of the country’s favorite sons, Kintaro, tenaciously hanging on to the back of the fish much like a rodeo rider straddling a bull.
Kintaro is credited with being the childhood name of Heian period hero, Sakata-no-Kintoki, a low-ranking samurai known for his bravery. Legend has it Kintaro rode a bear instead of a horse and played with wild animals rather than kids his own age. What parent would not want their child carved from the same tree?
Today, Kodomo-no-Hi is celebrated in Japan in various ways, depending on the region. Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka does it in spectacular style with a huge kite festival. What better way to celebrate kids than flying kites? Adding to the excitement, the festival features kite battles, while marching bands provide fighting tunes complimenting the drama unfolding in the field and in the sky.
The night before the grand finale, droves of locals dressed in happi, a kind of short coat, march behind bands with their bugles trumpeting and drums beating out a double time quickstep. Participants take short, quick steps in time with the band’s beats, looking much like how people walked in those old silent-era movies. The same scene takes place all over the city, as 180-odd municipalities, each with their own unique and traditional happi, enthuse each other in support of their local kite “pilots.”
The next morning teams make their way to a field next to Hamamatsu’s great sand dune, carrying the traditionally decorated kites above their heads.
After participants gather on the huge field, an explosion of fireworks signals the start. Then it is all hands on deck as teams rush back and forth, pulling rope from large spools on wheels and scrambling to get their kites airborne. One or two persons man the spool, ensuring the rope doesn’t tangle, while the others tug in unison, each pull coaxing the kite a little higher. Once the kites are up, kids gather around the rope and take their turn at pulling it, the rising kites symbolic of their journey to adulthood.
It isn’t until the afternoon that the actual battle begins; the temperature rising as the action starts to heat up as well. Teams gradually start moving nearer, forming a close-knit mob in front of the stands for spectators, kicking up dust as they move into battle formation.
Groups of men start to crisscross each other, making sure their ropes become entwined. Once one or more ropes are entangled, they proceed to tug frantically in a sawing action. The point is to cut the rope of your opponent’s “bird.” Combatants are hoisted onto the shoulders of their comrades in a ferocious attempt to get the upper hand.
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As the kite battle for dominance reaches a crescendo, the bands start playing, winding their teams into a frenzy and hopefully a victory.
Nobody is quite sure when or how the festival first started, but most believe it began way back before Hamamatsu was on the map. According to local history, Hikuma Castle stood in the area during Japan’s feudal period. The master of the castle, Iiwo Buzen-no-kami, is believed to have raised a kite to celebrate the birth of his first son. The tradition has stood over time and evolved into one of Japan’s most spectacular Boys Day events.
There is the kite museum nearby to the grounds that can provide more detailed information and facts, as well battled-scarred kites of fights long ago. If you want to do more than just watch, wander down to the beach, where locals are more than happy to let you play with the ropes of one of the smaller kites. Don’t be fooled by the size, though, as it is still big enough to give you a kick if you’re not careful.
Access: Hamamatsu is a major stop on the JR Tokaido Line, and the Shinkansen stops there. Buses run daily from the station to the Hamamatsu Festival (Kite) Museum during the event. From there it is a 10-to-15-minute walk to the Great Sand Dune. Just follow the crowds.