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What is the Doll Festival?


Among all the seasonal festivals, the Peach Festival is a day of celebration especially for girls.

　

It's the season when the snow begins to melt and the sunshine is refreshing.
The Jōshi Festival is also known as the Peach Festival, as it is celebrated around the time when peach blossoms begin to bloom.
On Hinamatsuri, families with girls decorate their homes with dolls and pray for their healthy growth and happiness.

Since ancient times, Hina dolls have been said to be vessels that take on misfortune and illness in place of the dead. Throughout history, families with daughters have prayed for their daughters to be protected from misfortune and for their growth and happiness so that they may attain happiness in life, and this has woven its way into the celebratory culture and festival of today.

First festival

　


The Hatsu-Sekku celebration refers to the first seasonal festival that occurs once in a lifetime.
It is a traditional event and ceremony, like "Omiyamairi" (a shrine visit) and "Okuizome" (first meal). The family gathers around a celebratory meal to express gratitude for the baby's birth and their hopes for its healthy growth.

As the name "seasonal festivals" suggests, they are a time when seasonal changes occur, and it has been said since ancient times that various epidemics and disasters occur along with the change of seasons. Even today, people are prone to falling ill during seasonal changes, and babies in particular need to be careful.
It is said that during these times, rejoicing and celebrating our children's growth will ward off evil spirits, and for us parents, rejoicing in our children's growth is an opportunity and a good time to start anew the next season of life.

　

Especially in the early years, the feeling of growing up together with your child is something truly special. It's different from birthdays and Christmas. It's a culture of praying for children's growth and happiness at the turning point of the season. It's a form of celebration unique to Japan.
Especially for the first seasonal festival, many families want to celebrate it properly since it is their first seasonal festival.
Girls born in January or February will celebrate the Girls' Festival soon after they are born. In such cases, the celebratory events will be held one after the other, which can be a burden for the newborn baby and the mother. Unlike other celebratory events, the Girls' Festival is characterized by the fact that there is no guideline for the number of days after birth on which it should be celebrated. It is a good idea to consider when to hold the "First Girls' Festival" based on whether or not the baby's first ritual, the "Omiya-mairi," has already been held.
If the first seasonal festival comes before the shrine visit, many children will celebrate their first seasonal festival after they turn one year old.
Celebrating the first festival at a year that suits your family will make it an irreplaceable memory and a wonderful celebration that deepens the bonds between family members.

Also, depending on the region, cultures and ways of celebrating vary, such as celebrating according to the lunar calendar, and while there are regions where old customs are respected, modern customs have changed and traditional events that respect the physical condition and feelings of family members have become mainstream. It is a good idea to discuss this with your family.

  • 1. The origin and history of the Girls' Festival

    "Sekku" (seasonal festivals), which signify the turning point of the seasons, have long been said to be times when evil spirits are likely to enter the body, and culture has been passed down through the years and wisdom of various generations. The ancient Japanese customs of "misogiharai" (purification rituals) and of casting off evil spirits by releasing "dolls" were combined with the Chinese customs of warding off misfortune, such as "purifying oneself in a river and holding a banquet at the Imperial Palace on the Jōshi Festival."

    During the Heian period, a festival began to be held every year in which a priest would be called in to offer prayers, the dolls would be stroked to ward off bad luck, and offerings would be made before the dolls were released into the water. This became known in Japan as "Nagashibina" and became the root of Hina doll decorations.
    During the Heian period, upper class women were fond of playing house with paper dolls and toys made to resemble household items, a game called "Hina-asobi." Scenes of this game appear in essays and stories from that time. Around the Muromachi period, the upper class began to decorate dolls and hold festivals on March 3rd.
    During the Edo period, the Doll's Festival was adopted as an imperial court event, and was also adopted by the shogunate's inner palace.

    Around this time, the Doll's Festival began to spread among the common people, and the custom of celebrating a girl's first Doll's Festival by displaying dolls was born, and the current form of celebrating Girls' Festival by displaying Hina dolls was established.

    In the early Edo period, there was only one pair of dolls for the Emperor and Empress, but in the mid-Edo period, tiered display dolls appeared, and the number of Hina dolls and accessories, including the Three Court Ladies, increased.

  • 2. Hina dolls and charms

    It is passed down as a "once in a lifetime amulet" from birth until the child becomes independent, with the hope that the child will be protected from misfortune and will be blessed with happiness in life, and it is meant to take on misfortune and epidemics on the child's behalf.

    Even today, Hina dolls are celebrated on Hinamatsuri as charms that bring happiness, embodying the warm feelings of families as they rejoice at the safe birth of their children and give thanks for their healthy growth.

  • 3. When to display Hina dolls?

    　

    February 4th to February 19th

    Risshun (the beginning of spring) ~ Usui (rainwater)

    It is generally considered that they are decorated from the beginning of Spring through to around the time of Usui, according to the 24 solar terms .

    "Rainwater" refers to the time when falling snow turns to rain and begins to melt. The snow that has accumulated on the mountains melts into rivers and irrigates the fields.

    It is said that it is good to display them on Setsubun, February 3rd (Setsubun is the day to exorcise demons), on auspicious days after the beginning of spring the next day, or on days of good fortune such as "Taian". As can be seen from the history of Hinamatsuri, Hina dolls are said to be an "event related to water", and originated from the fact that dolls that transferred bad luck were cast into water. The "time of Usui" when water is abundant is a good time for Hina dolls, and it was believed that displaying them at that time would bring about good relationships.

    We also receive questions such as, "Is it okay to decorate from January?"
    Some people consider it unlucky because it falls in the third month of the year.

    ◆What is "Sangatsukake"?◆

    Some people believe that a period of three months is bad luck, saying that "you will have hardships all the time." The reason for this is said to be a pun on words. The 49th day and the third month are also considered bad luck, saying that "you will have hardships all the time," and are avoided not only for Buddhist ceremonies but also for weddings, funerals, and other ceremonial occasions.

    However, as mentioned at the beginning, it is a play on words and is thought to have been passed down with the meaning of "don't be too late." There are also areas where the festival is celebrated according to the old calendar, so there is no need to worry about "santsukikake."

  • 4. Who gives the Hina dolls?

    　

    Hina dolls are usually given by the mother's family (grandparents) . In recent years, more and more couples don't have betrothal gifts, but in the old days in Japan, it was common for the bride's family to provide a betrothal gift and for the bride's family to prepare a trousseau. For that reason, in addition to Hina dolls, most decorations to celebrate a child's growth, such as formal attire for shrine visits, Hamayumi bows, Hagoita, carp streamers, and flags, were treated as trousseau.

    ◆With the changing times◆

    In recent years, with the trend towards nuclear families and changes in lifestyle, more and more parents are being flexible and not too strict about traditions. In some cases, both families contribute money, while in other cases the man prepares the gift, and in other cases, the man purchases the gift himself without relying on his parents.

  • 5. Celebrate with a celebratory meal

    One of the main events on Hinamatsuri is celebrating with a family meal.

    Nowadays, some families go out to eat, but traditionally, the festival is celebrated at home as a family celebration.

    The celebration will be livened up with auspicious items and colorful spring dishes. The standard dishes are chirashi sushi and clam soup .

    Sweets such as hishi-mochi and hina arare have spring-like colors that will brighten up your dining table.

  • 6. Until what age should Hina dolls be displayed?

    The guideline is [Coming of Age Ceremony or age 20 (18)]

    Considering the meaning of "substitute," it would be ideal to display it until your child becomes independent.
    Hina dolls can be displayed at any age, and there is no specific time set for them to be displayed. Therefore, some books state that it is desirable to display mother and child Hina dolls side by side.

    Among the mothers, there are some who inherited or brought the dolls from their parents' homes as part of their dowry. [Hina dolls are amulets for a child, given only once in a lifetime], so they are given by the parents to display their own Hina dolls at their new home.

    Also, when the Hina dolls are no longer displayed, it is a sign that they have completed their purpose.
    Instead of leaving it stored away in the back of your closet, express your gratitude and take it to a shrine or temple as an offering.

  • 7. "Nochi no Hina" (Adult Hina)

    Ato no Hina is a culture that has been passed down since the Edo period, in which the Hina dolls that were put out for the Girls' Festival are put out again six months later for the Double Ninth Festival to air them out, and to pray for good health, longevity, protection from evil, etc.


    Originally, Hina dolls were symbols of women's happiness, and were treasured as the avatars of people, with the role of taking on misfortune. Treating them with gratitude and prayers, and making them last a long time, is said to bring happiness to the owner.

    These are then put up on display six months later on the Double Ninth Festival, and people pray for eternal youth and longevity, as well as for warding off evil and misfortune.

    On the occasion of the Girls' Festival, peach blossoms are added to the decorations, but on the occasion of the Chrysanthemum Festival, chrysanthemum blossoms are added to the decorations. It is also called the "Adult Girls' Festival," Autumn Hina, or Later Hina , and has been gaining attention in recent years.

  • 　

    The Girls' Festival is a cultural occasion in which families with girls pray for their child's growth and happiness.
    As a culture that can be enjoyed even as adults,
    We hope you enjoy your celebrations forever.