Hinamatsuri - A Day for Dolls and Girls

March 3rd is a special holiday in Japan. Hinamatsuri is known both as Girl's Day and the Doll Festival in English. It is a day to pray for the growth and health of young girls, and is celebrated in most households with female children by putting up a tiered platform covered in red felt and adorning it with dolls.

The dolls themselves are especially ornate. There are specific dolls that represent the Emperor, Empress, court ladies, samurais, and attendents. The process of arranging them can be quite complex. All are dressed in clothing typical of the Heian period[794-1185 AD]. Some platforms even reach 7 tiers with as many as 12 dolls as well as carriages, and additional accessories. Even the dolls have to follow court hierarchy with each doll assigned an official tier.

One student explained to me that traditionally the disassembling of the dolls is most important. If dolls are left up beyond March 4th, the girls will not marry before the year is over. (Perhaps a good thing if you have young daughters I would imagine). More traditionally, the ceremony is celebrated to ward off evil spirits from girls. Most people celebrate this holdiay quitely in their homes, while some may choose to visit a shrine on this day. Best of all, girls can get cake. One kind student bought an ornate pink cake to work for the staff and the lady teachers. As with all Japanese holidays special food is important. One for this festival is hishi-mochi or diamond-shaped pounded rice sweets. Pink, green or yellow hishi-mochi can also be placed on tiers and added to the Hina doll display.