Hina Matsuri
Celebration of a girl’s healthy growth
Antique Hina Ningyo doll set © Hotaru Images
The Hina Matsuri festival is a traditional family celebration for their daughter’s health displaying hina ningyo dolls. Dolls became very popular in the Heian period (794-1185) among the imperial family and aristocrats and soon came to be the caretaker’s of a girl’s health.
There are many kinds of hina ningyo doll displays: most simple one consists of only 1 stage with 2 dolls and some gorgeous ones have 7 stairs with 15 dolls. It is because 7 and 15 are auspicious numbers. On the top stage, there are Odairi-sama (emperor) and Ohina-sama (empress) sitting together in front of the golden folding screen.
Next dolls are Sannin Kanjo or three female servants, and next are Gonin Bayashi (five music players) who holds various traditional music instruments. The last ones are U-daijin (the court minister on the right) and Sa-daijin (the court minister on the left) who are the loyal guards and servants of the emperor. The styles and facial expression of each doll set are quite different depending on the craftsperson. Some look childish, round smiling face and some look elegant and dignified face.
Hairstyle, the patterns on their costume, colors, etc. are different too. Between each dolls, various kinds of miniature furniture and fittings are presented such as wardrobe, sake ware, wooden plates, trays, palanquins, carts, etc. Don’t look at them as toys or something tinny. Not only their structure is really fine and accurate, they are decorated with real gold foil and first-class lacquer. They are not something that small children play with but something valuable as art crafts.
Momo ― The flower of happiness for girls
Momo or peach tree, its exquisite flowers, and its delicious fruit are all symbolic of Japan. For many, unfortunately, the tree is very difficult to distinguish from the plum (ume), which is much more common.
The flowers of the peach tree symbolize the happiness of marriage and the feminine traits of gentility, composure and tranquility. Since ancient times, the flower has been placed on
the highest level of the Hina Matsuri doll display during the festival. Peach blossoms can be seen in all their splendor on the west side of the Kyoto Imperial Palace grounds sometime in March.
A relaxing afternoon under the fine trees in this orchard is ideal for a picnic on a warm day. Hokyo-ji Temple (on Teranouchi, a few meters east of Horikawa) also has some splendid specimens. This temple is also closely connected with Hina Matsuri Festival.
In the realm of the fairytale, the momo plays a special role as the place from which Momotaro (the Peach Boy) born from. Historically, “Peach Mountain” or Momoyama was the name of the castle, Hideyoshi Toyotomi (1537-1598), the pleasure-loving general gave to his southern Kyoto castle and the area around it. A whole historical period, the Momoyama period (1580-1600), considered to be one of Japan’s mostly colorful and artistically original, is named after this castle.