Hinamatsuri

Hinamatsuri, originally uploaded by furyu_man18.

Hinamatsuri, or the doll festival, is an annual event which is held on March 3rd. At this time, people pray for the health, good growth and happy marriage of girls. Hina dolls, or kimono clad dolls, are displayed on stages in people's houses.




These dolls are fashioned in the image of the ancient aristocratic people in Japan. Hina dolls originated from ancient China, where people used to throw dolls into rivers. The dolls were believed to protect girls from evil spirits by intercepting and absorbing these evil spirits. During the Saga Hinamatsuri festival, a lot of traditional dolls are exhibited at historically significant spots. Japanese lanterns painted with images of Hina dolls are placed in the Matsubara River running alongside the Saga Shrine by parents and their daughters accompanied by traditional Japanese music