Japanese Traditional Festivals.

(From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI))

Byline: Totsuka Takashi

Hinamatsuri and Tango no Sekku In Japan when a girl is born, a set of Hina dolls are displayed in the home for one month before the Hinamatsuri, a festival for girls which takes place on March 3. Traditionally, a set of hina dolls is given by the mother's parents. On the day of the festival, relatives and close friends are invited to celebrate with ushiojiru (traditional clam soup), hina-arare (colored poprice) and shiro-zake (white sake). The Hinamatsuri is a symbol of the family's deepest wishes that the girl will grow up healthy and kind, and have a happy marriage and good fortune in her life.

The festival for boys on May 5 is called Tango no Sekku. Families with sons display a set of May Dolls, and Koi-nobori (carp streamer) are put up outside their homes. Iris leaves are hung under the eaves. In order to eradicate evil, people take a bath with iris leaves; they put devotional offerings of seasonal foods, such as Kashiwa-mochi or Chimaki (rice cake wrapped with oak or bamboo leaves), on the home altar, and eat the same foods in wishing the boy will grow up healthy and strong.

Hina Dolls, May Festival Doll, and Carp Streamer 1. Hina Dolls The origins of the Hina dolls date back to around 1,500 years ago, and the types we have today were developed about 200 years ago in the late Edo period. Every set of Hina dolls contains, at the very least, a set of Emperor and Empress dolls. Although they resemble the Imperial couple, there is no intention of Emperor worship. Nowadays, there are many families displaying simply these two dolls, but the full complement includes three ladies-in-waiting, five musicians, two chancellors and three court vassals. In total, there are 15 dolls displayed on seven shelves.

2. Boys' Festival Dolls Between 50 and 100 years ago, the dolls mainly represented brave samurai warriors and the heroes of fairy tales. These days the centerpiece of the May Dolls is the artistic warrior's helmet and armor. At the same time as celebrating the birth of the child, the dolls are displayed in a symbol of hope for his protection, health and success in life.

3. Carp Streamer - Koi-nobori The origin of these streamers lies in the traditional Chinese story that says carp swim against the fast flowing Yellow River, to climb up a waterfall called the "Ryumon" where they then become dragons and rise up in the sky. The Japanese idiom, "Toryumon" (climbing up the Ryumon waterfall) derives from this story, meaning to successfully cross a barrier. The flying of the Koi-nobori announces the birth of a boy to heaven, and is a symbol of hope for his protection, healthy and success in life.