Stylish and compact Hina dolls

What is the first festival?

Hatsuzekku refers to the first seasonal festival celebration that a baby undergoes after being born .

For girls, the first festival is the Peach Festival on March 3rd, and for boys, the first festival is the Boys' Festival on May 5th.

On a girl's first festival, Hina dolls are displayed and family and relatives gather together for a celebratory meal.

This is an important event that expresses the wish that children will grow up healthy and happy.

What is the Peach Festival?

The Peach Festival is a ritual to ward off evil spirits that was held on the day of the snake in early March .
Officially, it is called Joshi no Sekku.

In ancient China, there was a custom of purifying oneself by water on this day to ward off evil spirits, and this custom was brought to Japan.
In Japan, this custom overlapped with the custom of "Nagashibina," in which paper dolls are entrusted with impurities and floated down a river, and eventually became established as an event held on March 3rd.
The festival on March 3rd is called "Peach Festival" because it is the time when peach blossoms bloom.
Peaches have long been considered an auspicious flower, believed to ward off evil spirits and bring longevity and prosperity to descendants.
As a result, it has become widely known as an event to pray for the healthy growth and happiness of girls.

Hina dolls are substitute charms

The reason for displaying Hina dolls is to pray for protection from misfortune for children .

Since ancient times, dolls have been considered substitutes and have served as talismans to protect against illness and misfortune.

Hina dolls are given as "once in a lifetime charms" to accompany girls from the time they are born until they become independent, wishing for their healthy growth and happiness.

Traditionally, Hina dolls have been given as gifts by maternal grandparents .

This custom is said to have originated from the custom of giving gifts to the bride's new family as a consideration to avoid causing trouble to the bride's family, and as a wish for the healthy growth of the grandchild from the mother's family.
However, nowadays, it is more common for families to discuss and decide on the gift together , rather than sticking to old customs. Sometimes both families will buy the gift in half.

What's more important than who buys it is the desire to make the child happy .

Hina dolls are still received as gifts from grandparents and parents, and are treasured and displayed as "children's once-in-a-lifetime talismans."

When to start decorating

It is said that it is best to display Hina dolls from the beginning of spring (around February 4th) until mid-February .

Risshun is the day when spring begins on the calendar, and putting out the Hina dolls at this time strengthens the meaning of "celebrating the arrival of spring."

Depending on the region or household, there is a legend that if you decorate it on "Usui no Hi (around February 19th)," you will be blessed with good fortune in finding a partner.

Display period

Hina dolls are displayed until the Girls' Festival on March 3rd .

Once the festival is over, it is considered best to put things away as soon as possible.

The saying that "if you keep it on display for too long, you will be late in getting married" actually comes from the wisdom of everyday life that "you should put it away early to prevent it from getting damp and damaged."

Time to tidy up

After Hinamatsuri is over, it is recommended to choose a sunny, dry day to put things away .
Dolls are sensitive to moisture, so storing them properly will help them last longer.

The Hina dolls are said to stand in for the children and act as talismans to protect them from misfortune .

For this reason, it has long been believed that each daughter should have one Hina doll, and it is considered ideal to prepare a doll for each of the second and third daughters .

However, due to housing conditions and limited space for display, many families nowadays choose to decorate with small items or add "personal charms" such as name flags or checkered dolls.

It's fine if each one is small, but it would be nice to have them hold a Hina doll.