Hina Matsuri (Japanese: ひ な 祭 り) is Girls’ Day or Doll Festival, which is celebrated in Japan on March 3. In ancient times, this day coincided with the beginning of flowering peaches, so this holiday is also called Momo No Secku (Japanese: 桃 の 節 句).
In the houses where the girls live, on a special stand covered with red cloth, which has several tiers, exhibit Hina dolls dressed in traditional clothes. On the upper floor there are dolls symbolizing the Emperor and Empress, on the lower tiers – court ladies, musicians, etc. On the shelves of the tiers you can also see small lockers, paper lanterns, as well as orange and peach trees. A set of dolls can be quite expensive, so in some families they are inherited, in particular grandmothers give them to granddaughters.
Traditionally, on this day, girls wear long-sleeved kimonos, receive gifts and go to church with their parents. On the day of the holiday, parents ask for health and happiness for their daughters.
On the holiday of Hina Matsuri taste special dishes:
- Chirashidzushi (a dish made using lotus roots, shrimp and chopped eggs, which are spread on top of rice). It is said that the lotus root gives strength, and shrimp symbolizes longevity).
- Hina Arare (sweet multi-colored rice crackers),
- Hishi Mochi (rice cakes in the shape of a diamond in 3 colors: white, pink-red, and green)
- And also drink a sweet rice drink Amazake.
In the small town of Katsuura in the prefecture of Chiba from late February to early March is a spectacular festival Katsuura Hina Matsuri. In different parts of the city you can see more than 30 thousand dolls dressed in traditional clothes.
Source: Official Facebook page of the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine