Forget to fly the koi yesterday?

Then take the kids to the Hawai'i Children's Discovery Center to celebrate Kodomo no Hi, or Children's Day, today.

The event kicks off the museum's newest exhibit, "Japan & Nature: Spirits of the Seasons," on display through June 4.

The exhibit of all things Japanese is full of activities through which children can learn about the island nation.

"Everything here is hands-on," said Loretta Yajima, president of the children's center. "What's unique with these exhibits is that they allow children to use all of their senses when learning through play."

The exhibit is a walk through the seasons in Japan.

Children can try on kimono or raise carp windsocks in Fukuoka during the spring months, catch bugs and fish at Lake Biwa during the summer, hit taiko drums in Kyoto in the fall and tread on tatami mats in Sapporo in the wintertime.

"It shows how the seasons and nature affect Japanese celebrations and customs and everyday life," Yajima explained.

But this kind of multicultural exhibit isn't unusual for the 38,000-square-foot museum, which features permanent displays of other Asian cultures, including Korean and Vietnamese.

It just fits in perfectly.

"This ties in very nicely with our mission," Yajima said, "to have our children celebrate and appreciate their own ethnic and cultural heritage."

KODOMO NO HI (CHILDREN'S DAY)

10 a.m.-1 p.m. today

Hawai'i Children's Discovery Center, 111 Ohe St.

$8 adults, $6.75 for ages 2 to 17

Parking is free at Kaka'ako Waterfront Park

www.discoverycenterhawaii.org or 524-KIDS (524-5437)

Note: The center's regular hours are 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays

HOUSE RULES

The Hawai'i Children's Discovery Center's advice on enjoying the exhibit: