A Guide to Hinamatsuri

On the 3rd of March, Hinamatsuri, or Girls’ Day is held in Japan as a way to celebrate the happiness and health of girls in the country. The occasion is marked by delightful displays of dolls and an abundance of delicious food. We look at what you can expect from this special day, and how you too can celebrate Girls’ Day.

Origins of Hinamatsuri

Like many of the traditions in Japan, Girl’s Day was established as a celebratory day as a way to pray for a healthy and prosperous future, with a key focus being on a successful marriage. The celebrations were also traditionally used for warding off evil spirits. As such, one of the earliest versions of Hinamatsuri involved trapping evil spirits in dolls and releasing them into the river on the third day of the third month, as an act of purification. On this day, girls would make hina ningyo, or hina dolls, from materials such as straw and sail them down rivers.

Over time, this has developed into simply displaying dolls on a platform covered by a red cloth. The dolls have become more and more detailed over time, with craftsmen now dedicated to creating beautiful dolls for this holiday. However, many people also still send paper dolls down rivers as a way to wish away bad fortune and ill health.

Image Credit: opencontent / David Wiley

Hina Dolls

The dolls that are put on display, known as hina dolls, are typically gifted to a newborn baby girl as a set by the grandparents. Alternatively, sets of dolls can be inherited from each generation. The dolls, which are dressed in traditional ancient Japanese attire, are arranged on a red-carpeted, tiered platform. Representing the imperial court from the Heian period, the dolls will be arranged hierarchically, with the emperor and empress at the top. The number and size of the dolls used will vary between households, but typically, between five to seven platforms will be used for the display.

While the dolls will be placed on the platform at the end of February, they must be put away promptly following the festival, as it is seen as bad luck to leave out the dolls. A superstition states that those who do not put away the dolls at the end of Girls’ Day will struggle to find a husband.

Image Credit: Midori

Food for Hinamatsuri

Like most holidays, food is a fairly central theme in Girls’ Day. While rice wine and rice cakes are important aspects of the day, the fact that it is a celebration of young girls held at the start of spring means that there are some brighter and girlier food offerings available. For instance, sakura-mochi and hishi-mochi will be enjoyed, and these rice-based treats will be coloured pink for the occasion. It is also customary to enjoy a glass of sweet sake known as shirozake. Although this contains nine percent ABV, it is enjoyed by adults and children alike on this day!

Hishi Mochi

Rather than the usual balls of mochi, hishi mochi features layers of rice cake, with each layer coloured a different shade. The top shade will be pink or red, the middle is white, and the bottom layer is green. It is typically only three layers high; however, some areas of Japan will offer a five or seven layer version of hishi mochi!

Hina Arare

A type of rice cracker in a small ball shape, these snacks are named after hailstones, which they resemble in size and shape. They are usually colourful, often using red, green and white colours, similar to the hishi mochi. Hina Arare will be flavoured with soy sauce or sugar, depending on the region, offering both sweet and savoury varieties.

Chirashi

A savoury dish enjoyed for Girls’ Day is chirashi, or chirashizushi. This dish involves sushi rice flavoured with both vinegar and sugar, arranged in layers with an assortment of sashimi (raw fish).

Ushiojiru

A clam soup with a very salty taste, known as Ushiojiru, is also enjoyed as a savoury dish for Girls’ Day. The clams are used as the main ingredient due to the fact that clamshells are thought to symbolise peacefulness and unity as a couple, as only symmetrical shells from the same pair fit together perfectly.

If you have a daughter, why not celebrate this delightful day with some tasty treats and doll making of your own?! You’ll find a wide variety of great Japanese sweets in the UK on our online store that are perfect for celebrating such a sweet occasion!