Japanese Holidays - Girls' Festival "Hinamatsuri"

The month of March in Japan is dedicated to women. Hina Matsuri is a holiday that is celebrated every year on March 3rd. The name itself translates as girls' holiday, otherwise this day is also called the peach blossom holiday. On the Hina Matsuri holiday, representatives of the fair sex make dolls, traditionally from paper, ceramics, and silk. The fabric for doll clothes is carefully chosen; bright colors of red shades are most often used. Historically, the meaning of this holiday lies in the performance of a certain ritual, a prayer service, with the help of which mental suffering, pain and fear were transferred to paper dolls created with one’s own hands. After the ritual was completed, the dolls were released to float on the water. Today this ritual is preserved only in a few prefectures in Japan. The tradition and meaning of collecting dolls has changed nowadays. In modern Japan, on the Hina Matsuri holiday, dolls are collected on special shelves that have several tiers. Such a pedestal is most often decorated with peach flowers and cherry tree petals. On each of the tiers, dolls are arranged taking into account their cost and historical significance for the family. There are also themed figurines depicting the life of the imperial court. During the rest of the period, the dolls are kept in the house, but are not displayed. Each girl has various figures of multi-colored dolls, starting from birth. On the Hina Matsuri holiday, dolls are decorated and presented sitting on a special pedestal. You can make holiday dolls yourself, or buy them in specialized stores. Some pieces are truly handmade works of art and can be very expensive. On the holiday, Japanese girls wear elegant national clothes - kimonos. They wear them to visit, communicate with each other, attend holiday events, and, of course, show off their dolls. Today, the point of collecting dolls is the desire to get married quickly. This tradition also has its own rituals. A Japanese girl who meets her future husband strives to get married on the day of Hina Matsuri.