Join in with a Japanese Children’s Day holiday tradition – making colourful koi carp flags, or koinobori.

Koinobori flags are usually hung up outside homes and around towns and villages for Children’s Day. There are different sizes and colours of flag which represent mothers, fathers and the number of children in a household. The koi carp is a symbol of strength, courage and determination in Japan, because of a legend in which a koi carp who managed to swim up a waterfall turned into a dragon. They are hung up to blow in the wind as a wish for children to grow up healthy and strong. Koinobori means ‘climbing carp’.

Visitors of all ages can make their own koinobori flag in the Castle’s Activity Room to take home.

The craft workshop will run on a drop-in basis from 11.00 – 16.00, and is included in the price of normal Castle entry (£9.50 for adults, £4.50 for children 5 – 13, free for children under 5).