Every year in late February, we take out a special set of dolls.
It is for Hinamatsuri, also known as Girls’ Day.
I took the hina dolls and decorative accessories out of their boxes. Since they’re stored in separate boxes, it’s easy to forget which box contained what when putting them away.
Every year, we display our hina dolls in the bay window. When we arrange the dolls and accessories, they fit perfectly into the bay window space—it couldn’t be more perfect.
What’s Hinamatsuri?
Hinamatsuri is celebrated on March 3rd in Japan.
Families pray for the health and happiness of girls.
Hinamatsuri is said to have evolved in Japan from a purification custom introduced from China about 1,000 years ago. In the past, paper dolls were floated down rivers. This was meant to symbolically wash away misfortune that might befall the doll’s owner.
About 200 to 300 years ago, the style of dolls changed from being floated down rivers to being displayed in homes.
The Dolls – Who Are They?
This is a typical seven-tiered display of hina dolls. Since we don’t have one at home, I borrowed this photo from free stock images.
- Top tier: Display the Emperor and Empress, paper lanterns, folding screens, and other items. The hina dolls depict a wedding ceremony from 1,000 years ago.
- 2nd tier: These are the three court ladies, a group of three female attendants.
- 3rd tier: This is the musical ensemble known as the Goninbayashi. They enliven celebratory occasions with their music.
- 4th tier: Attendants (Minister of the Right and Minister of the Left). Then, place the dishes between them.
- 5th tier: A servant responsible for miscellaneous duties at the imperial residence, known as the shichō.
- 6th tier: Wedding furnishings for high-ranking samurai families. These include furniture such as chests of drawers.
- 7th tier: A long-distance ox cart.
Our Hina Dolls
Our family’s hina doll display consists of only the first tier. When I was a child, we had a seven-tiered display, but since the apartment we live in is small, we have this compact version instead. Also, it seems many families with newborn girls now choose smaller hina dolls to suit modern housing conditions.
What We Eat on Hinamatsuri
On Girls’ Day, we eat chirashi sushi and hamaguri clam soup. Chirashi sushi is a type of sushi where ingredients like shiitake mushrooms and carrots are mixed into the rice instead of being formed into individual pieces. It’s decorated with egg and green beans, making it a vibrant celebratory dish. At our house, we made an even more luxurious version topped with salmon and shrimp, which we shared and enjoyed as a family.
A Small Seasonal Marker
Is this a grand celebration? No, the Doll Festival is one of those modest events held within the home. Yet it also serves as a symbolic occasion marking the end of the long winter and the arrival of spring.
