Children's Day (こどもの日, Kodomo no hi) is a public holiday in Japan which takes place annually on May 5 and is the final celebration in Golden Week.

[4][5][6][7][8] The custom of displaying mini Japanese armor and kabuto (helmets) on Children's Day, called Gogatsu Ningyo (May doll), has its origins in the Kamakura to Muromachi periods (1333–1573).

During the Edo period, samurai households began to decorate their yards with nobori or fukinuke (吹貫) flags, which were colored with mon (family crests) to represent military units, during Tango no Sekku.

Traditionally, when celebrated as Boys' Day, the red koinobori was for the eldest son with blue and additional colors for younger brothers.

The formal Gogatsu Ningyo is displayed on a tiered shelf with a yumi (bow), tachi (long sword), Japanese war fan, and jingasa (samurai hats).

[4][5] Until the Edo period, samurai dolls were more common than miniature armor and kabuto, and the Japanese folk heroes Momotarō, Kintarō, Ushiwakamaru, Benkei, Emperor Jinmu, and Shoki were often chosen as subjects.