Typical Hina Ningyo (Girls day dolls) Modern
Upcoming March 3rd is Hina Matsuri aka Girls Day. The purpose of the celebration is to hope that the girls in the family will continue to grow up healthy. There was an ancient custom in Japan called Nagashi Bina, where girls would breathe on paper hina dolls, run it over their bodies to rid of impurities ands then place the doll on little boats and float it out to sea, taking all the bad things with them.
The custom of displaying Hina Dolls which continues today started in the Edo period, circa 1600s to 1800s.
Girls Day is also known as Momo no Sekku (festival of peaches). The peach blossoms projected the images of good feminine qualities of serenity, elegance and poise. The dolls became part of a dowry gradually becoming elaborate and expensive. I shudder just thinking of how much my daughter Michele's set cost!!!
A doll set is bought for the first born daughter and is passed on to their daughters. Sisters are not privy to a complete set of dolls, only partial.
There is also a superstition that removing the dolls late will make it difficult for the daughter to get married!
The dolls are usually set up in February after Setsubun and displayed until March 3rd.
Back in the old days.
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