On the day before Children's Day on the 5th, shops and restaurants on the B1, 1st, and 9th floors of Palaceside Building in Takebashi, Tokyo, held a special event giving customers iris leaves for the traditional bath. The "Palaceside Building Famous Shops Association" (chair: Senkaku Nakajima, president of Akasaka Hanten), organized by volunteers among the building's shops and restaurants, runs this as part of the annual "Carp Streamer Festival," distributing seasonal items free each year so visitors can feel Japan's customs. Last year it was hanashobu; this year, saying "Children's Day means an iris bath," they chose iris leaves. The association prepared 1,300 bundles in all and planned the same free distribution on the 2nd.
The iris bath comes from the ancient Chinese custom of the Yokuran Festival on May 5 to drive off evil spirits, which is said to have reached Japan. In Japan, it is also said that samurai bathed before setting out, praying for lasting fortune in war, or that it spread among common people from public bathhouses in the Edo period. It is believed to help stiff shoulders, neuralgia, rheumatism, and more. Iris itself has long been considered a medicinal herb to ward off illness, and differs from hanashobu, which has pretty flowers on similar leaves.
That day, staff at member shops handed out two or three iris leaves bundled and wrapped in cellophane, one bundle per person, and recipients were delighted. One woman who got leaves after dining in the building said, "I always bought them at the supermarket, so this is a great help."