March 3 is
Hina Matsuri
(Doll or Girls’ Festival) when people pray for the happiness and healthy
growth of girls. Families with young daughters mark this day by setting up a
display of dolls inside the house and offer Hina-arare rice crackers and other
food to the dolls.
Traditionally, this day is called
Joushi (上巳) or
Momo no Sekku (Girl’s
Day), one of the five days in the year, each announces the change of the
season in the traditional Japanese calendar. It is said that Joushi was first celebrated by courtiers
during the Heian period (794-1192). On the third of the lunar
month, courtiers floated rice
wine down a stream in the palace garden. Each guest would take a sip and then
write a poem called
Waka
(和歌). At some point, paper dolls were introduced and this gradually
began to be celebrated as Girl’s Day. In some rural parts of
the country, people would release paper dolls into rivers after the festival to
be washed away, praying that the dolls would take people's place in carrying
away sickness and bad luck and pray for health and prosperity. The event is also celebrated with bowls of claim broth. Claims are
thought to be a symbol of luck in marriage for girls, as one half of a claim
shell will only match perfectly with its other half, and no other half.
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| Display of dolls in a five-tier decoration platform |
While it’s rare to see several tiered platform display like the picture above in a small crammed apartment in big cities, it’s more common to see a single-tiered decorations with one male and one female doll that to do not take up much space and at the same time parents are able to celebrate this occasion with their daughters.
Nevertheless in a traditional house, different dolls wear costumes of the imperial court during the Heian
period and are placed on a tiered platform covered with red felt.
The size of the dolls and number of steps vary, but usually the displays are of
five or seven layers.
The top tier is reserved for the emperor and the empress.
A miniature gilded folding screen is placed behind them. On the second tier are
three ladies-in-waiting, and on the third are five male court musicians.
Ministers sit on either side of trays of food on the fourth step, and the fifth
row features guards flanked by an orange tree to the left and a cherry tree to
the right.
These days, most families take their beautiful
collection of dolls out of the closet around mid-February and put it away again
as soon as Hinamatsuri is over. This is because of an old superstition that
families that are slow in putting back the dolls have trouble marrying off
their daughters.
Children's Song うれしいひな祭り（Happy Hina Matsuri)
あかりをつけましょ ぼんぼりに Let's light up the paper-shade lamps
お花をあげましょ 桃の花 Let's wreathe the platform with peach flowers
五人ばやしの 笛太鼓 And, enjoy flutes and drums of the five court musicians
今日はたのしい ひなまつり For today we celebrate the doll festival
お内裏様(だいりさま)と おひな様 See the emperor and the empress
二人ならんで すまし顔 Sit side by side still and composed
お嫁にいらした 姉様に And, see snow-white faced court lady
よく似た官女の 白い顔 Reminds me of my sister when she was a bride
金のびょうぶに うつる灯(ひ)を Dim lght reflected on the golden folding screen
かすかにゆする 春の風 With spring breeze swaying feebly felt
すこし白酒 めされたか Did he take a sip of the sake from the altar?
あかいお顔の 右大臣 The bearded reddish face of that minister
着物をきかえて 帯しめて Change in your kimono and fasten your obi belt
今日はわたしも はれ姿 For today we make our formal appearance
春のやよいの このよき日 Warm spring bless this good day
なによりうれしい ひなまつり There is nothing more wonderful than the doll festival
