A colorful display of Koinobori ( wind socks fashioned in the shape of carps to celebrate Children’s Day in Japan on the 5th of May ), a stone’s throw away from the JR Takadanobaba station. I used to hang around these parts often back in 2005/6 as my film school Toho Gakuen was located just around the corner, close to Waseda University ( it has since moved ).

(above) A wall of Doraemon coloring sheets from a nearby primary school on display near the canal.

Take a closer look at the drawing of the little boy riding on the Koinobori ( carp ) and you’ll notice he is wielding a Katana sword and a donning Japanese warrior head-dress;  its perhaps an intrinsic nature of Japanese culture to imbue their children with an indomitable sense of fighting spirit even at such a young age.