Hinamatsuri (Doll Festival)

Japan has an annual celebration, all about Dolls?

雛祭り(Hinamatsuri), or the Doll Festival, is a 神道 (Shinto) religious festival observed on March 3 to celebrate young girls and pray for their continued health and happiness. During this holiday, families display ceramic dolls dressed in the ornate, decorative robes of the ancient imperial court. The manufacturing of these figurines remains a thriving example of traditional Japanese craftwork.

The first time these kinds of dolls were displayed in the same manner they are today is said to have been in 1629, when the young princess Meisho succeeded to the throne of her father, Emperor Go-Mizunou. At the time, female emperors in Japan were not allowed to be married, and so Meisho’s mother, Tokugawa Masako, created a doll arrangement that showed Meisho being happily married. 

The Dolls displayed during 雛祭り(Hinamatsuri) are placed on a red-carpeted platform called a ひな壇 (hinadan). The central figures of the festival include the 男雛 (obina), "male doll" and 女雛 (mebina), "female doll", which represent a Heian period wedding, but are also known to be described as the Emperor and Empress of Japan. The dolls may be as simple as pictures or folded paper dolls, or as intricate as carved three-dimensional dolls. The entire set of dolls and regalia are known as 雛飾り (hinakazari). The number of tiers and dolls a family may have depends on their budget. A set can cost from around $1,500 to $2,500 for a five-tier set, depending on quality, and is often handed down from older generations as heirlooms.

In the days leading up to the festival, households with young daughters will display their 雛飾り (hinakazari) prominently, where they can be admired by family members and guests. However, once the festival is finished, custom dictates that dolls and decorations be quickly packed away, as it is believed that leaving them out too long will harm a daughter’s chances of marriage.

Members of the Japanese club created their own 雛飾り (hinakazari) displays, using folding paper, which asked them to draw upon their skills of 折り紙 (origami).