Koinobori — the colorful carp streamers traditionally flown during Children's Day — are a beloved part of Japanese culture, rooted in the legend of the dragon's gate and long carried as a symbol of families' wishes for their children's healthy growth and happiness. In recent years, however, changing living conditions and shifting family structures have led fewer households to display koinobori outdoors, leaving many streamers stored away and forgotten across the country.
Since 2022, Fukuya department store has been collecting these "sleeping koinobori" and displaying them each spring on the rooftop terrace "Hatchobori SORALA" atop the Fukuya Hatchobori Honten. Over the years, many donors have shared memories connected to their koinobori, and the sight of those streamers flying again has created countless moments where cherished memories seem to come back to life.
Building on that response, Fukuya has taken the initiative a step further this year, launching the Koinobori Born Project 2026 — an art project that gives retired carp streamers a new sky to swim in, connecting culture and memory with the future.
Koinobori Born Project 2026
Some of the collected koinobori were used in a workshop held on the Fukuya rooftop SORALA, where participants crafted carnation flowers from the fabric. Children from nearby nurseries and participants at a psychiatric day care facility also joined in the creation. The resulting regenerative artwork has been on display on the rooftop since April 23 (Thursday).
Through this transformation, carp streamers — symbols of "parents wishing for their children's growth and happiness" on Children's Day (May 5) — take on new life as carnations conveying "gratitude from children to parents" for Mother's Day (May 10). The project aims to link family bonds through art as sentiment flows between the two occasions.
Art Supervision: Aya Matsushima
Aya Matsushima is an artist affiliated with Alkemix who began her full-scale artistic career in 2024. Working under the theme "What is Peace?", she creates work that draws on color and spatial expression. She has also appeared in the 2025 second-half NHK serial drama "Bakebake," demonstrating a range of activity beyond the art world. For the Koinobori Born Project, she took charge of creating the regenerative artwork from the donated carp streamers.
Up to 6 Meters Long — 16 Koinobori Swimming in the Sky
Alongside the regenerative artwork, visitors can enjoy the sight of koinobori of various sizes swimming through the sky, just as in previous years. The largest koinobori measures approximately 6 meters in length, making for a spectacular view over the Hatchobori area with a total of 16 carp streamers in flight.
Exhibition Details
Exhibition Period: April 23 (Thursday) – May 10 (Sunday)
Venue: Fukuya Hatchobori Honten, 9th Floor Rooftop — Hatchobori SORALA
