HINAMATSURI: GIRLS FESTIVAL

HINAMATSURI

Girls Festival on March 3

Hina-matsuri, Girls Festival, is for wishing daughter’s healthy life and happy marriage.

Hina–ningyo, Hina dolls, were originally made of paper and straws and the paper doll was said to take the daughter’s sickness or bad fortune on it as a substitute for the girl. So the Ohina-sama were used be floated on a river and be taken into the far away ocean. The river is compared to the Galaxy and the ocean, heaven. It was called Okuri-bina or Nagashi-bina.

Nowadays beautiful dolls are displayed on a decorated stair. Some families have a gorgeous full set of them, such as Ohina-sama and Odairi-sam, Udaijin and Sadaijin, Sanninkanjo, Goninbayashi, etc.

Hina-ningyo must be put back as soon as the day ends, because the delay is said to be cause the delay to the girl’s marriage.