Regular Annual Events in Japan

�@�@The Boys' Festival for expressing the hope that each boy in the family will grow up healthy and strong. Warriors figures are set up in the house during this festival, iris leaves are placed under the eaves to fend off evil, and huge fish-like streamers are fastened to poles. Special rice cakes wrapped in oak leaves are eaten on this day.
(From "Nippon-The Land and Its People-"written by Nippon Steel Resources Development, published by Gakuseisha Publishing Co.,Ltd.)