Celebrating the girl child on Hinamatsuri, Japan's Doll Festival
Hinamatsuri or Japan's Doll Festival is a special traditional festival in Japan that is celebrated every year on March 3. Also called Girls' Day, the festival is all about celebrating young girls, their growth, success, happiness, and health. The unique festival involves decorations using special Hina dolls and peach blossom flowers along with scrumptious food like Chirashi-zushi and Hina-arare. Read on to know more!
Hinamatsuri preparations begin around mid-February
Hinamatsuri is one of Japan's five seasonal festivals according to the Chinese calendar, all of which are called sekku. According to the Lunar calendar, the peach trees begin flowering during March, and therefore it was also known as the Peach festival or momo no sekku in Japanese. Families start decorations with Hina dolls in mid-February and keep them away once the festival is over.
History of the festival
The festival started almost 1,000 years back during the Heian period. People used to prepare special dishes to celebrate the March sekku. They used to make paper dolls and float them down the running river to ward off evil spirits. During the Edo period, Japanese households began displaying the dolls on an altar which gradually became associated with the overall well-being of girls.
Significance of Hina dolls
Hina dolls are often passed down within the same family. Families start displaying the dolls on a tiered stand covered with a red cloth a few weeks prior to the festival. The ceramic dolls are dressed in traditional attire of the Heian period. The dolls are put away after the festival as otherwise, it is believed, they might harm a girl's marriage plans.
Hina dolls are believed to protect young girls
Hina dolls are believed to carry away the misfortunes and health issues of young girls and protect them. The dolls can be both male and female and are classified as grooved dolls or costumed dolls. The dolls can be arranged in five to seven-tiered stands with a red carpet cover-up. The most common and iconic stands are the platform-based ones known as hinadan.
How Japanese people celebrate Hinamatsuri
During the festival, Japan organizes various exhibitions displaying intricately crafted Hina dolls with unusual and quirky designs. Japanese households are well-decorated with sprigs of peach blossom flowers and Hina dolls placed on altars. There are parties arranged for children along with some yummy traditional food like Hishi-mochi, Ushio-jiru, Chirashi-zushi, and Shirozake. A traditional non-alcoholic beverage called amazake is also served during this festival.
