Hinamatsuri
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Japanese Doll Festival (雛祭り Hina-matsuri?), or Girls' Day, is held March 3, the third day of the third month. Platforms with a red cloth (緋毛氈 hi-mōsen?) are used to display a set of ornamental dolls (雛人形 hina-ningyō?) representing the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians in traditional court dress of the Heian period.
Contents |
[edit] Placement
[edit] First platform
The top tier holds two dolls representing the Emperor (お内裏さま O-Dairi-sama?) and Empress (お雛さま O-Hina-sama?). (Dairi means Imperial Palace, Hina means girl or princess). The dolls are usually placed in front of a miniature gold folding screen.
[edit] Second platform
The second tier holds three court ladies (三人官女 San-nin kanjo?). Each holds a sake-filler.
[edit] Third platform
The third tier holds five male musicians (五人囃し Go-nin bayashi?). Each holds a musical instrument except the singer, who holds a fan.
[edit] Other platforms
On the fourth, fifth, and lower tiers, a variety of miniature furniture, tools, carriages, etc. are displayed. Two ministerial dolls, (大臣 Daijin) may be displayed to the right (右大臣 Udaijin--Right Minister) and left (左大臣 Sadaijin--Left Minister) of the fourth tier.
[edit] Origin and Customs
The custom of displaying dolls began during the Heian period. Formerly, people believed the dolls possessed the power to contain bad spirits, and would thus protect the owner.
Hinamatsuri traces its origins to an ancient Japanese custom called (雛流し Hina-nagashi?, lit. doll floating), in which paper dolls are put into a boat and sent down a river to the sea, supposedly taking troubles or bad spirits with them.
The customary drink for the festival is amazake, a sweet, non-alcoholic version of sake made from fermented rice; the customary food is colored arare, bite-sized crackers flavored with soy sauce.
A popular superstition states that if the family forgets to retire the whole set before the night of March 4, the girl will not marry before the next year.
[edit] See also
- Tango no Sekku (The equivalent festival for boys)
- Holidays of Japan
