JAPAN: Hinamatsuri /3rd March
The Japanese Doll Festival, or Girls' Day, is held March 3, the third day of the third month.
As you can see the name, Only girls are celebrated in this festival.
Platforms with a red cloth are used to display a set of ornamental dolls representing the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians in traditional court dress of the Heian period
Placement
◎First platform
The top tier holds two dolls representing the Emperor (O-Dairi-sama) and Empress (O-Hina-sama).
Dairi means Imperial Palace, Hina means girl or princess.
The dolls are usually placed in front of a miniature gold folding screen.
◎ Second platform
The second tier holds three court ladies (San-nin kanjo). Each holds a sake-filler.
◎ Third platform
The third tier holds five male musicians (Go-nin bayashi). Each holds a musical instrument except the singer, who holds a fan.
◎ Other platforms
On the fourth, fifth, and lower tiers, a variety of miniature furniture, tools, carriages, etc. are displayed. Two ministerial dolls, (Daijin) may be displayed to the right (Udaijin--Right Minister) and left (Sadaijin--Left Minister) of the fourth tier.
☆ Origin and Customs
The custom of displaying dolls began during the Heian period.Formerly, people believed the dolls possessed the power to contain bad spirits, and would thus protect the owner.
☆Food
We eat sakura-mochi(rice cake smells cherry blossom)and hina-arare(a kind of sweet)
☆
Of course, my family has celebrated it, but displaying the hina-dolls was only during childhood. I think that lots of family does too.
Ikuyo Miyuki
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