The Brilliant Festival for Girls “Hinamatsuri”

What is Hinamatsuri?

It is the festival for girls held on 3 March.
Tiered platforms for Hina ningyo(Hina dolls, a set of dolls representing emperor, empress, attendants, and musicians in ancient court dress) are set up in the home, and the family celebrates with a meal, eating Hishimochi (diamond-shaped rice cakes) and drinking Shirozake(made with rice malt similar to Aamazake but alcoholic).
Hinamatsuri is derived from the Chinese purificatory rite in the Heiian period (794-1185). The practice of displaying dolls dates from the early Edo period(1600-1868).
Hina dolls are displayed from the first day of spring( February 4th in Japan) to around March 6th.
There is a saying that if Hina ningyo is still displayed after mid March, the daughter can’t get married.(It originates from a lesson that it is important to put back things you use to be a good house wife.)

Meals for Hinamatsuri

• Chirashi-zushi
  Japanese have a custom to have Sushi, celebrating something.
  Especially Chirashi-zushi looks gorgeous and colorful. So it is perfect for girls’ festival and became to have it for Hina matsuri.
• Osuimono(Clams clear soup)
  A Clam is consist of 2 shells. So clams had been said to be the symbol of a good married couple.
  So having clams soup originated from the prayer for the daughters to be good house wives of good couples in the future.
• Hishi-mochi
  Hishi” is the name of the aquatic plant. Mochi means rice cake. Hishi-mochi originates from its shape which is similar to the seeds of Hishi.
  Hishi has strong fertility. So it is the symbol of descendant’s prosperity.
  Hishi-mochi has three tiers of different colors and each color has following meaning.
  • Red(Pink)
    The color originates from the sun and it is the symbol of protection from evil.
  • White
    The color is the symbol of purity.
  • Green
    The green color is taken from Yomogi which is a kind of weed.
    It is the symbol of fertility.

When Hinamatsuri comes, the weather improves and we feel spring has come.
Besides, the Japanese fiscal year ends in March and the new fiscal year starts in April.
So many Japanese start new lives tend to feel psyched.

When Hinamatsuri comes, the weather improves and we feel spring has come.
Besides, the Japanese fiscal year ends in March and the new fiscal year starts in April.
So many Japanese start new lives tend to feel psyched.