hinamatsuri

Hinamatsuri falls on the third day of the third month and is a festival for girls. All Japanese houses that have daughters living under their roof display a set of ornamental dolls meant to represent the Emperor and Empress in the traditional dress of the Heian period (794-1185 CE). Apparently as long as a daughter lives these displays are set up. Traditionally the dolls would contain bad spirit and would be sent down a river or out to sea taking bad spirits with them. Now it is simply tradition although there is a superstition that if the doors to the display are not closed by the night of March 4th the daughter will marry late. This is the display of my Japanese tutor (which she said is very small) with her daughters Chihiro and Emiko.

The displays can have up to six tiers with different figurines on each level. First has the emperor and empress, second has court ladies with sake, third has five male musicians, fourth and fifth typically have furniture, trees and food. The empress wears a 12 layer kimono which although beautiful would make her look like a brightly coloured pillow when standing, I imagine. My tutor disagreed and simply said it would be heavy.