Hinamatsuri

HINAMATSURI

Hinamatsuri is Girls’ day in Japan. It’s also called Doll’s day

Hinamatsuri is celebrated on the 3rd of March annually, when people pray for happiness, fortune and healthy growth of little girls.

Hina dolls are the highlight of this festival. Families with young daughters set up a display of Hinadolls inside the house. The custom of displaying dolls began in Heian period. Formerly, people believed that the dolls have the power to contain bad spirits.

They generally start to display the dolls in February and take them down immediately after the festival because it is said that leaving the dolls until the following day will result late marriage for their daughter.

Platforms covered with a red carpet are used to display a set of Hina dolls. The term of platforms in Japanese is “Hina dan”. The dolls wear costumes of the imperial court during Heian period and represent the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians.

The dolls are place in particular order. There are two dolls on the tier. They are the Emperor called “O-bina”, holding a ritual baton and the Empress called “Me-bina”, holding a fan. The two dolls are usually place in front of a gold folding screen called “Byobu”, and there are two vases called “Kuchibana” placed between them.

The second tier holds three ladies who are “San-nin Kanjo”

The five male dolls on the third tier are five musicians called “Gonin Bayashi”. Each holds a musical instrument, except for the singer holding a fan.

The two dolls on the fourth tier are two ministers “Daijin”. The young minister on the right is “Udaijin” and the old minister on the left is “Sadaijin”

On the fifth tier, there are three Samurais who are the protectors of the Emperor and Empress.

KODOMO NO HI

Kodomo no Hi is the Children’s day in Japan. It is celebrated on May 5 and is a part of the Golden week. The festival is held on honor of children, and to celebrate their happiness and also to express gratitude toward their parents.