Cultural Experience Hinamatsuri

Hinamatsuri

Blessings for Health and Safety

March 3 is the exclusive festival for Japanese girls, and is also known as Doll's Day, Kamibushi, Girls' Day or Peach Blossom Festival. On this day, families with daughters will dress their daughters in beautiful kimonos and set up platforms to display a set of ornamental dolls.

The most appropriate setting for the Girls' Day is the arrangement of humanoid dolls, which follow the auspicious figure of "7". On the first level are the emperor and empress couple's figures; on the second level are the three official women who hold the wine bottle, the wine cup and the wine pot respectively; on the third level is a music band of five people; on the fourth level are entourage and ministers; on the fifth level are three servants; on the sixth level are the wardrobe, dressing table and other furniture; and on the final level are the ox cart, cage, sedan chair, etc. There are totally 15 young humanoid dolls, which are served with rice cakes and peach blossoms.

To date, people in some areas of Japan still retain the tradition of putting all the humanoid dolls into river on the night of Hinamatsuri, letting the dolls bear the misfortune and illness for the daughters of their family, and bless them to grow up healthily and safely. Conversely, after the Girls' Day, if the dolls are still in the house, they will hinder the daughter's happiness and health.

Cultural Experience Hinamatsuri
Cultural Experience Hinamatsuri
Cultural Experience Hinamatsuri
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