Meet Kori the Koinobori!

The Koinobori is an integral part of traditional celebrations in Japanese history.
Its name is made up of two words: "Koi" & "Nobori", meaning carp & flag.

The importance behind the koi stems from an ancient legend about a school of fish swimming upstream.
The carp fought against the current to travel to the end of the river but eventually discovered the source was a long waterfall.
Many fish gave up at the realization, but a remaining few chose to keep going, leaping and swimming up from the river in many attempts to reach the top.

The carp symbolizes strength, courage, & perseverance due to its ability to accomplish its goals and swim upstream despite the current.

The Koinobori streamers first originated from the time of the samurai as a way to pray for the strength and health of growing boys in battle.
Today, families fly the Koinobori as a lucky symbol for children of any gender.
The displays of these colourful streamers can often be found between late April and early May as decorations for Children's Day, a Japanese holiday on May 5th.