Displaying exquisitely made hina-ningyo dressed in traditional Heian attire is the main activity associated with the Hina Matsuri | ©photoAC
Have you ever heard of Japan’s Hina Matsuri (雛祭)? Otherwise known as Doll’s Day or Girls’ Day, Hina Matsuri is celebrated each year on March 3rd. It is a traditional Japanese festival honouring the celebration of the well-being and happiness of young girls, ensuring that they are able to lead a life blessed with luck and prosperity.
Coinciding with the blooming of peach blossoms (ume), this festival is sometimes also referred to as Peach Festival (桃の節句 Momo no Sekku), adding a touch of hope and vitality to this festive season blessed by the fruit symbolising longevity.
Although celebrations might differ from region to region, the heart of the Hina Matsuri, which is the arrangement and display of hina-ningyo (雛人形 ornamental dolls) on an altar draped with red carpet, or dankake (段掛) and decorated along with other ornaments, remains the highlight of this festive season.
The History of Hina Matsuri
Nagashibina, a traditional ritual to ward off evil spirits by sending human-shaped dolls, typically made of paper or straw, down the river | ©Adobe Stock
A quick look at the traditional court dress adorned by the hina-ningyo will reveal the festival’s long-standing tradition, with origins dating back to the Heian Period (平安時代) as reflected by the period attire.
The earliest form of hina-ningyo emerged through the practice of making simple human-shaped paper dolls (雛形 hinagata) for the purpose of yakubarai (厄払い), or the warding off of evil spirits, as adopted from China’s Shangsi Festival (上巳节).
Historically, people would send these dolls, usually made of paper or straw, floating down the river, in a ritual known as nagashibina (流し雛). The belief was that by doing so, any misfortunes associated with the individuals would be transferred to the dolls and carried away by the river.
Over time, these dolls came to the object of play among aristocrats in what was called hina-asobi (雛遊び), essentially a form of playing house adored by young girls during the Heian period. As the curtains raised on the Edo Period (江戸時代), the ritual of nagashibina gradually began to take the shape of modern practices of Hina Matsuri as people started to display these dolls on altars inside their homes for a brief period each year.
Eventually, the significance of this practice began to align more closely with what we recognize today as the celebration of good health and fortune of young girls.
What Do the Different Tiers and Positioning of the Hina Dolls Mean?
A four-tiered hinakazari featuring the a variety of hina dolls including the dairibina, san-nin kanjo, go-nin bayashi, and the zuijin dolls | ©photoAC
The entire doll set display, consisting of the dolls, platforms, as well as other additional ornaments, is collectively called the hinakazari (雛飾り). Doll sets can vary in tiers from one to seven, with each tier symbolizing a specific position within the traditional court hierarchy. Mirroring a wedding ceremony held during the Heian Period, the first tier is usually reserved exclusively for the Imperial dolls, or dairibina (内裏雛) served by their court. These dolls usually serve as the centerpiece of a doll set and a hinakazari simply wouldn’t be called one without the dairibina.
I wonder how many tiers this hinazakari comprises... | Photo by Sue Lynn
We’ll now take a look at how the hina-ningyo are arranged in a typical tiered doll set.
- First Tier: Collectively known as the dairibina, these Imperial dolls representing the Emperor (お内裏様 Odairi-sama) and Empress (お雛様 Ohime-sama) are crafted delicately down to the details of their ceremonial attire, and are often placed against a gold folding screen.
- Second Tier: Consists of three court ladies, also known as, san-nin kanjo (三人官女), representing women who attended to the Imperial couple. They are usually accompanied with tables of sweets displayed in between them.
- Third Tier: Consists of the go-nin bayashi (五人囃子), the court musicians, or more literally, the "five musicians". These five musicians form the members of a Noh (能) theater, with the narrator identified by the fan (扇子 sensu) that he is holding on to, accompanied by three drummers and a flutist, arranged according to a specific order starting from the three types of drums on the left, the flute (笛 fue), and finally the Noh narrator on the right.
- Fourth Tier: Stands the dolls of the zuijin (随身), representing the Emperor’s personal bodyguards. While in certain displays these dolls may be depicted as samurai, in others, they may be depicted as government ministers, often in the forms of both an old man and a young man, armed with their weapons. In addition, other ornaments such as the rhombus-shaped rice cake known as hishi mochi (菱餅) are also placed in between the two dolls.
- Fifth Tier: Decorated with a mandarin orange tree to the right and a peach blossom tree to the left, flanking three dolls representing the palace civil servant guards, or shicho (仕丁), with each showcasing a different facial expression. Interestingly, while these dolls are often depicted holding umbrellas and sunshades in the Kanto style displays, they are portrayed with cleaning tools in the Kansai style displays.
- Other Tiers: When additional tiers are incorporated, they often feature typical household items from that period, including storage chests, mirrors and ox-drawn carts. In Kyoto, you’ll often find miniature kitchens and cooking utensils displayed while altars made in Tokyo might tend to have more tiers showcasing a wider array of luxurious furnishings.
The dairibina, representing the Emperor and the Empress, make up the centerpiece of a hinakazari | ©PhotoAC
While displaying the hina-ningyo on a seven-tiered dankazari (段飾り doll stand) may seem to the most luxurious method of showcasing one’s collection, most households opt for a simpler display, often showcasing just one tier, which typically includes the essential dairibina.
Due to their considerable expense, with a three-tiered collection ranging from ¥80,000 to ¥500,000 and a full seven-tiered collection costing a staggering ¥200,000 to ¥10,000,000, these dolls are often treasured as family heirlooms and passed down through generations.
Households typically begin displaying these dolls starting from February until March 3rd. According to Japanese tradition, it is deemed inauspicious to leave the dolls up for too long as it is believed to diminish the chances of a daughter getting married. Thus, it is not uncommon for families to hastily remove these ornaments immediately after the festival is over.
Traditional Foods Eaten During Hina Matsuri
Apart from the displaying of exquisite hina-ningyo, just like any other festivals, the joyous occasion is often celebrated alongside special traditional foods enjoyed exclusively during this period. Some of these which include:
Hina-arare
A delightful snack that comes in different colors, the consumption of the Hina-arare is often associated with the welcoming of spring | ©PhotoAC
Hina-arare (雛霰) traditional sweet, pastel-colored rice cracker that comes in either three or four different colors, with those that come in threes representing different elements that symbolize the arrival of spring, and those that come in fours representing the four different seasons. Eating one of each color is a customary practice believed to bring about a healthy year ahead.
Hishi Mochi
The rhomboid shape of the Hishi Mochi represents fertility and each of the three colors symbolizes an element of nature that is indicative of the refreshing beginning of spring | ©photoAC
Hishi Mochi (菱餅) is a tri-coloured rhombus-shaped rice cake symbolizing fertility. The top layer is flavoured with cape jasmine, the white layer with water caltrop, and the green layer incorporating mugwort. The green layer symbolizes the fresh green leaves of the impending spring, the white representing unsullied snow, and red signifying peach flowers, all melding together to create a picturesque spring scene.
Sakura Mochi
Made from glutinous rice and filled with red bean paste, the Sakura Mochi remains an all-time favorite dessert that is eaten during the spring festive season | ©PhotoAC
Sakura Mochi (桜餅) is a pink-coloured wagashi (和菓子 Japanese confectionery) made with glutinous rice that is filled with red bean paste and wrapped in a pickled cherry blossom leaf. Although the cherry blossom (桜 sakura) season only begins around April, the sakura mochi is a dessert that is deeply associated with the Hina Matsuri due to its profound image of the approaching spring.
Chirashi-zushi
The Chirashi-zushi, scattered with lotus roots, shrimps and fried eggs atop rice soaked in vinegar, is an auspicious dish often eaten during the Hina Matsuri | ©photoAC
Chirashi-zushi (ちらし寿司) is a dish created by scattering lotus roots, shrimp, and thinly shredded egg over vinegared rice, hence its name “chirashi (散らし)”, which means “to scatter”. The lotus root is said to allow one to see the future, while the shrimp symbolizes longevity. This slightly sweetened dish is often savored alongside clear clam soup (蛤潮汁 Hamaguri ushio-jiru).
Amazake & Shirozake
Made from fermented glutinous rice, the amazake (甘酒) is a sweet, traditional non-alcoholic drink with a long history that is enjoyed by Japanese during festive seasons | ©PhotoAC
Accompanying these foods are typically two types of beverages made from fermented glutinous rice, namely the white sake (白酒 shirozake), which has a high alcohol percentage, and the sweet sake (甘酒 amazake), which is a non-alcoholic drink. These allow both adults and children to relish in the festive atmosphere while indulging in a delightful treat on the side.
Experience Hina Matsuri in Japan!
That being said, the essence of a festival is best savoured in person. While Hina Matsuri festivals are held throughout Japan, here are two exceptional festivals granting an unforgettable experience that you shouldn’t miss out on if you find yourself in Japan during the spring season.
1. Kaatsura Big Hinamatsuri (かつうらビッグひな祭り)
This iconic festival in Katsuura City, Chiba Prefecture, boasts the 1,800 hina-ningyo that are displayed on the flight of stairs leading up to Tomisaki Shrine | ©Adobe Stock
Famous for being one of Chiba’s (千葉県 Chiba-ken) most extravagant festivals, the Katsuura Big Hina Matsuri (かつうらビッグひな祭り) grandly welcomes spring every year with its thousands of hina-ningyo set up around Katsuura City (勝浦市), all donated by people from across Japan.
However, the highlight of the festival is the impressive 1,800 hina-ningyo adorning the sixty stone steps leading up to Tomisaki Shrine (遠見岬神社), creating a spectacular sight for one to behold. All 1,800 hina-ningyo are carefully displayed during the day and kept away properly at night by the residents every single day for as long as the festival runs. You can also enjoy an enchanting experience starting from the evening as the nighttime illumination begins.
Tomisaki Shrine (遠見岬神社)
Event Period: 23 February–3 March 2024
Address: 1 Hama-katsuura, Katsuura City, Chiba 299-5233
Access: 10-minute walk from Katsuura Station (勝浦駅)
2. Hina no Tsurushi Kazari Matsuri (雛のつるし飾りまつり)
A display in Izu Inatori, Shizuoka, showcasing gorgeous hanging ornaments known as tsurushikazari hung from the ceiling, surrounding the hinakazari | ©PhotoAC
In Izu Inatori (伊豆稲取), Shizuoka Prefecture (静岡県 Shizuoka-ken), there is a traditional custom with humble origins from the Edo Period that is still being practiced annually to this day.
The Hina no Tsurushi Kazari (雛のつるし飾りまつり) is a festival that brings to life this tradition of hanging ornaments, otherwise known as tsurushi kazari (つるし飾り), through the extravagant display of hina-ningyo and other decorations.
The hanging decorative ornaments of tsurushi kazari is made by sewing together scraps from kimono and attaching them to long strings | Photo by Sue Lynn
It was believed that tsurushi kazari came into practice during the Edo Period as hina-ningyo were simply too expensive for the typical household to afford, so mother and grandmothers made tsurushi kazari by sewing together scraps from kimono (着物 traditional Japanese garment) and attaching them to long strings to create these beautiful hanging ornaments in hopes of good luck and health for their children and grandchildren.
This year, in celebration of the festival’s 25th anniversary, there will also be an additional event which visitors can look forward to. With just an entrance fee of ¥300, you too can enjoy these beautifully crafted ornaments and immerse yourself in the mesmerising atmosphere of the festival.
Inatori Culture Park Hina no Yakata (稲取文化公園 ひなの館)
Event period: 20 January–31 March 2024
Address: 1729 Inatori, Higashiizu, Kamo District, Shizuoka 413-0411
Access: 14-minute walk from Izu-Inatori Station (伊豆稲取駅)
Nagashibina, a traditional ritual to ward off evil spirits by sending human-shaped dolls, typically made of paper or straw, down the river | ©photoAC
Visiting Japan this March? Take the chance to explore and experience one of Japan’s largest and most prominent spring festivals by trying out the festive dishes, partaking in the local celebrations of the Hina Matsuri, or even by getting yourself a hina-ningyo as a souvenir! Join the locals as they wish for a healthy and auspicious year ahead for their loved ones.
Souvenirs from Japan by JAPAN RAIL CLUB
Speaking of souvenirs, JAPAN RAIL CLUB is a membership service that introduces a part of Japan each month through a subscription box full of Japanese snacks! Explore every facet of Japan’s unique culture such as Hina Matsuri with the membership’s offering of delectable treats, shipped directly to your doorstep. Find out more about this month’s box—Tasty Tohoku Treats—at JAPAN RAIL CLUB’s website today!
