Doll's Festival(1)

March 3rd is the Japanese Doll's Festival or Girls' Festival called Hina Matsuri(雛祭り).

雛人形 by dancingnomad3 /flickr



人吉球磨ひなまつり by alberth2 /flickr

the Doll's Festival in Hitoyoshi-kuma(人吉球磨) area in Kumamoto Prefecture

Families with girls started to display hina dolls at home. This custom started in the Edo Period. Recently, many Dolls' Festivals are held in various areas. Their towns are decoratied with their own distinctive hina dolls and ornaments.
On the top shelf are emperor and empress.
On the second shelf are three court ladies.　
On the third shelf are five musicians.
On the fouth shelf are two ministers called sa-daijin(左大臣:Minister of the Left) and u-daijin(右大臣:Minister of the Right)　and diamond-shaped rice cakes. The elderly man is sa-daijin.
On the fifth shelf are three servants holding shoes, a shrouded parasol and hat(in Kyoto, holding cleaning things) and mandarin orange tree and cherry tree.
On the sixth shelf are furniture and household goods including tansu(箪笥, chest),Hasami-bako(鋏箱) on nagamochi(長持,a large oblong chest),kyodai(鏡台,dressing table),hari-bako(針箱, needlework box),hibachi(火鉢,charcoal brazier),daisu(台子, a display stand for tea ceremony utensils).
On the seventh shelf are kago(駕籠,palanquin),ju-bako(重箱,tiered food boxes),Gosyo-guruma(御所車, court carriage).

daisu(台子)

ju-bako(重箱)

kago(駕籠)

Gosyo-guruma(御所車)
oxcart

P3018170.JPG by Goran Zec /flickr

modern empress doll

P3018169.JPG by Goran Zec /flickr

modern emperor doll

servant holding  a shrouded parasol






Photo by Yokaphoto.net

emperor and empress, three court ladies, two ministers











My hina dolls were the same as this set of hina dolls in a glass case.

Hina-Ningyō (Hina Dolls) by Hyougushi /flickr

chirashizushi(sushi rice in a box or bowl with a variety of ingredients sprinkled on top) and a salt-based soup containing unshelled clams are standard dishes for the Doll's Festival.


hinamatsuri dishes-f04.jpg by midorisyu /flickr



hinamatsuri dishes-f02.jpg by midorisyu /flickr





the Girl's Festival by rok1966　/flickr

cake for the Doll Festival



 
 
 

Hina dolls are being displayed at the City Konosu City Hall in Saitama Prefecture.
 

鴻巣市役所のおひな様 by onohiroki /flickr

鴻巣市役所のおひな様 by onohiroki /flickr