History of Japan Dolls Festival
Many Japanese holidays and traditions may be dated back thousands of years, and Hinamatsuri is no exception. It was originally called the Peach Festival since it took place while the peach trees were in full bloom. Dolls have always been a big aspect of Hinamatsuri, and they’re still a big deal even now.
This started in the Heian Period (794 to 1185) when people held a similar event to pray for good fortune. People would put straw/paper dolls on rafts and push them down the river, believing that the dolls would drive off evil spirits or calamities. People began displaying these dolls in their homes during the Edo Period (1603 to 1868).
During the 1600s in Japan, when Princess Okiko, daughter of the Emperor Go-Mizuno, decided to play with a doll display created specifically for her, the custom evolved into presenting the dolls on platforms draped with a crimson-colored fabric.
Empress Meisho promoted Hinamatsuri when she ascended to the throne in 1687. Craftsmen all around Japan have been making Hina dolls for the event since then, and the tradition remains today.
Hinamatsuri was abandoned in favor of new holidays that concentrated on the emperor’s imagined connection with the people during the Meiji period when Japan started to modernize and the emperor was reinstated to power, but it was eventually reintroduced.
It symbolized Japanese goals and values by emphasizing marriage and families, and because the dolls were thought to symbolize the emperor and empress. It also instilled respect and appreciation for the throne. The Japanese diaspora carried the holiday to other countries, but it is still limited to immigrant Japanese groups and their descendants.
Families arrange events at their homes in the period preceding March 3 to show off their displays. Traditional Japanese festivals, on the other hand, are generally large public gatherings with marches, dances, fireworks, street traders, artwork, and other forms of entertainment. Even though Hinamatsuri is generally observed in one’s home with intimate friends and family, there are still traditional events held throughout the country.
The most famous part of this festival is the dolls, of course. The clothes are modeled on the Heian period and can be intricate or simple. In the early ages, as these dolls became popular, doll makers would create more and more intricate designs, some of which were quite valuable and expensive. And so, tiers were added to put the pricier dolls out of children’s reach. The display of dolls evolved and became more elaborate.
Today, this festival is celebrated by Japanese people everywhere. Little girls are encouraged to hold parties in the days leading up to the festival, gorging on festive sweets and foods. Households with girls display their dolls, and peach blossoms feature prominently in the decor. More and more households have now expanded tradition to celebrate all women. Once the festival is over, however, the dolls are packed away until the next year.
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