Celebration of this festival probably began around 600 c.e. On the day of this festival, families with at least one son displayed armored samurai dolls and warrior items, such as miniature helmets in their houses. They also hung out carp streamers in their gardens and prayed for their son's success in life. The carp on the streamers appear to be swimming when the wind catches them. Carp were chosen because they symbolize strength and success. According to a Chinese legend carp swam upstream to become dragons. In Japanese folklore, carp symbolize determination and energy - carp swim upstream and overcome all obstacles in doing so. In 1948, the Japanese government declared the modern day equivalent of this festival a national holiday to celebrate the happiness of boys and girls (not just boys as with Tango-no-Sekku) and to express gratitude to mothers. The name Tango-no-Sekku was changed to Kodomo no Hi.
The Kusabe family lived in this house. They were successful money lenders during the Edo Period (1600's through the mid-1800's). During the mid-1800's they also were money exchangers. In 1875 during the early phase of the Meiji Era their "store"/house burned down and was then rebuilt in 1879 using Japanese cypress. Architecture from the Edo Period guided its design. The house has been open to the public as a museum since 1966.
Old Town is a beautifully preserved area of Takayama. Many of the structures (houses, stores and sake breweries) date from the Edo Period (early 1600's to the mid-1880's) when many rich merchants lived and did business in Takayama. Old Town still has many shops, homes, restaurants and sake breweries (because of the purity of the mountain water). One reason that many of the structures in Old Town survived for so long is the isolated mountain location of Takayama - not subject to destruction from internal or external wars.
Takayama is surrounded by mountains and has an old world feel. It was a big supplier of timber during the Edo Period, the feudal period from the early 1600’s to mid 1800’s when the town was under shogunate control.
Takayama is located in the mountainous Hida region. The town often is referred to as Hida-Takayama to distinguish it from other places named Takayama.
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