March 3rd is a special day for girls
There is a celebration day for girls in Japan. It is called Hinamatsuri. Hina means small and pretty, matsuri means festival. People call Hinamatsuri a Doll’s Festival in English because families display dolls for their daughters.
Hinamatsuri is an occasion to pray for young girls’ growth and happiness
The history of Hinamatsuri
It has long been believed that around the time of the “Setsubun”, meaning the turning point of the seasons, evil spirits tend to enter people’s bodies. There are five sutsubun, Jan 7th, March 3rd, May 5th, July 7th and Sep 9th.
In China, there was a custom to purify oneself in a river on the day of Joushi which is March 3rd, one of the five seasonal festivals.
In Japan, people used to purify themselves by stroking their bodies with paper dolls and throwing the dolls into the river, transferring impurities into the water.
As time went on, the art of doll making developed and fine dolls were made. Gradually, the dolls became objects to be displayed in the home. In the Edo period (1603-1868), it became an event for girls and hina dolls became more and more gorgeous.
Hina dolls carry away bad luck from girls
My eldest sister had a gorgeous 15 doll set. First row, there were the prince and princes. Second row, there were three court ladies. Third row, there were five orchestra boys. Fourth row, there were two ministers. Fifth row, there were three servants.
They were so beautiful and when March came I couldn’t wait to display all the dolls in the living room with my mum. I spent all day with them and I wished that the day would never come when we would have to put the dolls away.
But my mum said if we wouldn’t tidy up the Hina dolls soon, you wouldn’t get married. That really scared me and I had to accept putting them away and wait to meet them again next year.
There is a reason why my mum said it.
As I have mentioned already, hina dolls were originally used as substitute dolls to carry away bad luck. It is said that if you leave hina dolls for a long time, it will transfer impurities and bad luck to daughters.
Who are the prince and princes?
There are two dolls on the first row, the prince and princes, we call them O-dairi-sama and O-hina-sama.They are said to represent the Emperor and Empress, and many people considered them to be a symbol of marriage and happiness.
It is said to have been linked to the idea that tidying up quickly = getting married quickly, so the story has been passed on to the present day.
I asked my mum to leave them a bit longer and she did it for me. Is it why my marriage was so late? I don’t know. But I found the best prince and I am his princess.
So I am very happy with it.
Girls’ dreams are the same today as it ever was. “MARRIAGE”
I am running a matchmaking agency for Australian single men and Japanese single women. My job is matching possible O-dairi sama(Princes) and O-hina sama (Princesses).
And I hope today March 3rd, many new O-dairi sama and O-hina sama are born all over the world.
