Celebrated on May 5, Japan's Children's Day originated as an ancient Chinese festival from the old lunar calendar that marked a day to ward off evil spirits and pray for good health.
After the Tokugawa Shogunate came into power at the beginning of the Edo Period (1615-1868), the festival was renamed Boys' Day, and, starting in the Genroku Era (1688-1704), samurai families set aside the day to celebrate the male children of households by hoisting banners outside their homes and creating lavish arrangements of helmets and coats of armor. The banners were appeals to the gods to ensure that sons grew up to be strong, brave men.
The exhibition "Pictorial Banners in the Edo Period," currently showing at the Japan Folk Crafts Museum, presents an assembly of 62 beautifully preserved banners. On loan from Yoshichika Kitamura, a private collector, the banners provide a glimpse into Edo and the aesthetics of its material culture. According to Kitamura, the visual interest in the banners lies in their dynamic compositions, energetic brushwork, vibrant colors and the ingenuity used in laying out their designs.