During the May holiday, you can visit the festive kitchen of Wereldmuseum Rotterdam for a variety of creative activities to learn more about Japanese Children's Day. This holiday, unleash your creativity in the Lovebird Atelier. Starting April 18, the doors to Superstraat will have extra open days. Will you come and visit? See you soon at Wereldmuseum Rotterdam!
Good news for families: during the school holidays, our interactive exhibition Superstraat is open every day! And there’s extra reason to celebrate — it’s Neighbour Day in Superstraat, so everyone is welcome!
On May 5, Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day) is celebrated in Japan. On this special day, children celebrate their birthdays, play games, and listen to exciting stories read by their parents. During the May holiday, get to know this unique children’s festival!
For Children’s Day, parents decorate their homes with colorful koi fish windsocks. These strong fish symbolise strength — they are so powerful that they can swim upstream! Hanging the carp flags high in the sky aims to attract the attention of the gods, who can bless children to grow up strong and courageous like the koi fish. Create your own colorful koinobori in the festive kitchen to take home!
Fold together an installation of 1,000 origami cranes. In Japan, cranes are known as bringers of good luck, love, and long life. Their dance is world-famous. Cranes seek out their ideal partner by dancing in early spring — jumping, stamping, bowing, and tossing their heads and beaks into the air. Who dances together most beautifully? They will stay together for life.
According to an ancient Japanese legend, anyone who folds 1,000 paper cranes will have their wish granted. In Japan, senbazuru are often made to support someone who is ill. In other countries, this tradition has been adopted during wedding preparations, where the bride asks guests to fold 1,000 cranes, and the groom offers one extra crane to enhance their luck.
Join other visitors in folding a senbazuru of 1,000 origami cranes.
Did you know that people often call couples "lovebirds"? The term comes from birds that sit close together on a branch and often stay together for life. Across the world, people use the symbolism of birds to depict loyalty and marriage, with many fun stories and traditions tied to them. That's why, during the May holiday, the Atelier is all about Lovebirds.
(In love, engaged, married, divorced)
In various cultures, it's common to embroider a handkerchief as a gift to a loved one. These love handkerchiefs were a symbol of love and devotion, and also served as a form of protection. In Portugal, they are called Lenços dos namorados, and in Friesland they are known as Knottedoekjes.
In Belarus, embroidered textiles called rushnyks are used in many love rituals. These cloths often feature red birds symbolizing life, the sun, fertility, and health. If one bird chases another, it signals interest; if the birds face each other, it signifies love and marriage. If love ends, the birds are turned away from each other.
Discover the symbolic meaning of chickens
In China and Taiwan, chickens hold symbolic meaning when it comes to marriage and children. Roosters, in particular, represent fertility, prosperity, and a happy marriage. In some family traditions, hens and roosters are used as future predictors. When placed in a small cage, the first to exit predicts the gender of a newborn baby. In Taiwan, newlyweds receive porcelain cups decorated with chickens and roosters as a good luck gift.
Create your own stamp roll using authentic stamps specially designed for Wereldmuseum by Taiwanese artist collective Walking Grass Agriculture: Han-sheng Chen and Hsing-yu Liu.
