TANGO

Carp-shaped streamer (KOINOBORI)

Those which are the small accessory of the military banner which is called "MANEKI" originally, is called what come to be made greatly gradually.
The appearance of the carp is in the middle from the early stages of the Edo period. From the Muromachi period, by the samurai, cloth was stretched to the bamboo pole and the streamer was stood at Boys' Festival on May 5th. However, when the world of war was subsided and fixation of a samurai's status progressed, it became impossible as a matter of fact to achieve the distinguished services of fighting and to raise a remuneration frame. The way which increases a homestead right was lost except it being diligent in the given work and having you accept. From these days, the family crest of each house, the flag (NOBORI) describing Shoki the Plague-Dueller, etc. are stood, a horse mark, a streamer, etc. are decorated, ancestral military exploit is praised, a samurai's heart is expressed, and it came to wish development of a house in a samurai's house at Boys' Festival. NOBORI can be said for it to have been natural for the samurai to be used in order to prove one's (house) social position identity on the battlefield, to lift this, and to wish development of own house from the first. Decorating helmet decoration and a warrior doll also prays for a boy's success in life by the same reason. Although this samurai's customs spread also to people at that time, it was difficult to build NOBORI describing the family crest like a samurai. The carp-shaped streamer appeared as NOBORI replaced with it. The carp made from the Edo period in paper was attached to the pole, it hung up highly, the carp of the cotton which is not torn at Taisho Era was produced, and the carp of a synthetic fiber which decoloring does not carry out even if it gets wet to rain was born in the Showa mid-30s. However, it is called postwar period to have spread like now.
With the Chinese legend, as for the carp was said, if it finishes to climb the Huanghe high-level Riyuumon's cascade, becoming the dragon and to ascend to heaven, it was symbol of success. In addition, the carp not only forced and vital force, from the fact that it is not perturbed on the cutting board, was thought the pure fish. For expressing a boy's success in life, it was considered the most suitable fish, the wish bear any trials and become a splendid person was put, and the form was taken in as decoration for the outdoors. Moreover, it is said that the customs of building a carp streamer originate in a Chinese historical fact.
Typical KOINOBORI consists of a streamer of Goshiki, and the carp of three or more. Goshiki of a streamer originates in the Yin, Yang and five elements combination theory which descended from China. What a color scheme and its color symbolize is as follows. Blue: A tree, spring. Red: Fire, summer. Yellow: The ground, the dog days. White: Gold, autumn. Black: Water, winter. This Goshiki has the powerful power which expels wickedness as the representation of all the Nature, and the thing showing eternal stability.
A streamer and the YAGURUMA now seem like the belongings of the carp, but originally this is main. From the first, it is said that Goshiki of a streamer is the cursing which expels malice, the YAGURUMA is a mark of a house which means stay indoors to avoid, and the flag built out of doors was the mark which I have get down to heavenly God.