Photo/Illutration The fourth generation of a massive carp streamer, left, and the third generation are spread out for airing in Kazo, Saitama Prefecture, on Oct. 21. (Ryo Ikeda)

KAZO, Saitama Prefecture--Two gigantic “koinobori” (carp streamers) were taken out of storage and given an airing outside on Oct. 21 to prepare for when the banners can flutter again after this year's festivities were canceled because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The city is famed for producing the streamers that are traditionally hoisted at homes across the nation to celebrate the Boys’ Festival on May 5.

One of the banners, which had to be hoisted by a large crane, was set up on the banks of the Tonegawa river to brighten the skies overhead. It is normally in place on May 3 each year.

The streamers last got a public airing in autumn 2019.

Municipal government employees were joined by volunteers to spread the third and the fourth generations of the banners, each measuring about 100 meters long, on the grass at Kazo Hanasaki Park and crawled over them to check for tears. The third generation “retired” seven years ago.

The annual inspection of the carp streamers usually attracts a considerable crowd, including kindergarten-age children in the city, but few onlookers were on hand this year as the date of the work was not announced beforehand.

An estimated 120,000 people turned out last year to gaze at a carp streamer fluttering in the wind at the riverbed, according to the event organizer.

“I inspected the banners, hoping to see them fly high in the skies in front of a huge crowd next year,” said one of the employees engaged in the work.

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