Today, March 3, is known as “hina matsuri” (hina doll festival) or momo-no-sekku (peach flower festival) in Japan. Although not a national holiday, it’s an important celebration for girls, wishing them happiness and healthy growth.
Hina matsuri’s origin dates back to ancient Chinese purification rituals for getting rid of bad luck. During the Heian period in Japan, people let straw or paper dolls float down the river or the ocean as their substitutes which take bad luck away from them. This tradition remains today in some regions in Japan as “nagashi-bina (floating hina dolls). This purification ritual was unified with aristocratic girls’ playing with dolls and hina matsuri was established during the Edo period.
It’s common for families of girls in Japan to have a set of hina dolls wearing ancient kimono and to display them at home beginning in early or mid-February through March 3. The Empress and Emperor doll are set on the top shelf. Then, sannin-kanjo dolls (three court women), gonin bayashi dolls (five court musicians), and more dolls are displayed on the shelves below. Hina-arare rice crackers and hishi-mochi cakes are commonly placed in the display. Many different types of hina dolls have been created around Japan. In some regions, hina dolls are hung from the ceiling call tsurushi-bina.
During my time living and working in Japan, I did private tutoring for a young girl, going to her home every week. I knew about Girl’s Day and had seen displays of hina dolls but nothing prepared me for her personal display of dolls amassed over her lifetime of 13 years! At the end of the lesson, she led me to her special room, slid back the shoji screens, and there, in divine girl pride, she presented her grouping. There must have been over 50 dolls on display with shelving to the ceiling. Beautiful.
A Room Full of Hina Dolls!!
