The old Japanese were a war-like nation, and the toys
provided for their sons at the Feast of Flags were helmets, flags, swords,
bows and arrows, coats of mail, spears, and the like. The Feast of Flags
itself is held on the day sacred to Hachima, the Japanese God of War, and
the favourite game on that day is a mimic battle.
The boys divide themselves into two parties, called Heike and Genji. These
names represent two great old rival clans of the feudal days. Every Heike
carries a red flag on his back, every Genji a white one. Each combatant
also wears a helmet, consisting of a kind of earthenware pot. The combat
is joined, and the small warriors hack at each other with bamboo swords. A
well-directed blow will dash to pieces the earthenware pot, and the wearer
is then compelled to own defeat. That side wins which breaks most pots on
its opponents' heads, or captures most flags.
This display of weapons, with blowing of horns and trumpets, serves another
purpose also; for on the fifth day of the fifth month the Japanese believe
that Oni, an evil-disposed god, comes down from the heavens to devour
boys, or to bring great harm to them. But he fears sharp swords, so the
long swordshaped blades of the sweet flag are gathered from the edges of
rivers and the sides of swampy rice-fields, and used as decorations. As
a Japanese writer says: "Oni fears the sword-blade of the sweet flag, so
that its leaves are everywhere. They are upon the festal table; they hang
in festoons about the house, and all along the eaves.
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