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Pricey gold samurai helmets on sale for Japanese boys

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Most things related to the growing up of children in Japan are huge rip offs; omiyamairi, shichi-go-san photographs, hina dolls, kabuto helmets, koi nobori, randoseru, study desks for the bedroom, all the way up to coming of age day kimono rentals. The prices of these things seem to reflect the large number of doting grandparents with deep pockets there are, not what a normal family can realistically afford.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I bet most of these things are bought by grandparents.

Since they are similar to Christmas decorations, I hope no-one goes overboard and spends more than they should to just keep up appearances.

Personally I prefer koi nobori kites to celebrate boy's day than helmets and armour.

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I agree that things are "worth" whatever somebody is willing to pay for them. So if an affluent family decides to buy junior a $54 thousand trinket to display in his room, I guess it's "worth it" to them. But good luck trying to get your money's worth if you have to sell it on for whatever reason, especially if he damages it.

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You could probably buy all the materials used in a house for a few tens of thousands of dollars as well. Does that mean houses are only worth that much?

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I think people forget about costs for labour, design, etc. Adds on a bit to the material costs alone. Not denying the profit margin of course.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

"So you'd be paying 4.3 million extra."

Precisely; value added has its price!

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They are made with up to 430 grams of gold each, worth as much as six million yen,

Even if it was 430 grams of 24K, it's still only 1.7 million yen worth. So you'd be paying 4.3 million yen extra.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Kinda cool, but ridiculously pricey just for an ornament. Luckily my sons have never said anything about this particular custom so I haven't had to fork out unnecessary cash. More crazy consumerism.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

May 5th was originally Boys' Day

The Chinese origins had nothing to do with either gender. Just goes to show how holidays can mutate over the millennia. Like Christmas, from its pagan origins.

From Wiki: The story best known in modern China holds that the festival commemorates the death of the poet and minister Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BC) of the ancient state of Chu during the Warring States period of the Zhou Dynasty.A cadet member of the Chu royal house, Qu served in high offices. However, when the king decided to ally with the increasingly powerful state of Qin, Qu was banished for opposing the alliance and even accused of treason. During his exile, Qu Yuan wrote a great deal of poetry. Twenty-eight years later, Qin captured Ying, the Chu capital. In despair, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River.

It is said that the local people, who admired him, raced out in their boats to save him or at least retrieve his body. This is said to have been the origin of dragon boat races. When his body could not be found, they dropped balls of sticky rice into the river so that the fish would eat them instead of Qu Yuan's body. This is said to be the origin of zongzi.

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May 5th was originally Boys' Day but the name was changed to Children's Day. In fact the nature of it never really changed.

Second to last paragraph says 'dear' antlers, but probably should be 'deer' or 'stag'. JT?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Nothing like Date's. This imitation jewellery nonsense is far too consumerist for me.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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