On 5 May, we celebrate the happiness of boys. More broadly today, we celebrate the health of children, boys and girls. This day is a holiday dedicated to their existence.
Tango no sekku corresponds to the month of the horse (tango), the month of May which corresponds to the change of season (sekku) according to the Chinese calendar. It is one of the festivals of the five seasons during which the changing climate is accompanied by rituals and symbols. Introduced in the Nara period in the 8th century, it marks the beginning of summer. The fragrant rush, an aquatic herbaceous plant, was offered in aristocratic circles for its energizing and protective virtues. It was consumed in the form of soup or herbal tea, or ground into a powder, and was used to treat ailments according to herbal medicine. Successive emperors had it made into decorative items to give to members of the court. Bunches of rush or mugwort leaves were hung from the eaves of houses to protect them from bad luck.