Festival for Girls in Japan

What’s Hinamatsuri?

March 3rd is such a special day for girls in Japan. I remember that I was so excited as the day was getting close when I was little. March 3rd is the day for celebrating girls, and it is called “Hinamatsuri.”

The origin of the event is from as back as Heian period (794–1185). The event is known as praying for girls’ healthy growth. Usually we display Japanese dolls in beautiful kimonos and peach branch, and eat sushi and drink sake (of course, sake is only for grown-ups). There are some Japanese snacks such as sweet rice crackers. The sweet rice crackers have 4 colors: pink, green, yellow, and white. They are eaten on that day in the hope that daughters would spend happy time through the year since those four colors represent four seasons.

On March 3rd, 2017, so many Hinamatsuri events were held throughout Japan this year also. In many kindergartens, kindergarteners dressed up like the dolls that were displayed and took rolls in a play that is about Hinamatsuri. In some shrines and temples, the dolls were displayed, the music from history was played, and women in beautiful kimonos danced in front of people.

Even though Hinamatsuri is not a holiday and we have to go to school and work, people in Japan think a great deal of it. It is not easy to display the dolls, and the dolls are not cheap. However, it is such a great chance to make great memories that last for a lifetime. I’m looking forward to taking over this tradition from my parents and do the same thing for my future daughter someday.