Hina Matsuri (雛祭り) is a holiday for girls in Japan. Girls are celebrated on this holiday and boys are celebrated on Children's Day, May 5th. The two holidays revolve around traditions and symbolism to allow them to grow up into great women and men. Other names for the holiday include Girl's Festival or Girl's Day (for obvious reasons) and Momo no Sekku (Peach Blossom Festival). The reason it used to be called Momo no Sekku (桃の節句), is March 3rd was one of the 5 special days on the lunar calendar called Sekku. Sekku are the first day of the new season when food and drink are offered to the spirits of the family's ancestors in hope of preventing the illness and misfortune that the new seasons were felt to bring. [1] Each Sekku is associated with a specific flower and this one is of the peach blossom, which bloomed at this time during the lunar calendar. The current calendar doesn't see the peach blossom blooming until early April. The other Sekku days fall on other important holidays in the Japanese calendar. Sekku really deserves its own post in explaining, as it includes a vast amount of cultural history and history in Japan and greatly shapes many Japanese cultural events even today. Something that would be far too much to include as a quick side-point here.
The origins of the holiday are in a Chinese custom to remove bad luck by putting the bad luck inside dolls and dropping them into the river. This Chinese tradition would spread to Japan in the 7th century, where people constructed crude dolls out of paper that were rubbed across the body and then thrown into the nearby stream or river. This action was with the same hope as the Chinese custom, of transferring the bad luck and sickness to the doll and then removing it through the doll and casting it into the water. [2] These dolls are known as Hitogata (人形), literally meaning human form. Another reading for this kanji in Japanese is Ningyo which means doll. However, the Hina Ningyo dolls that make up the important part of Hina Matsuri roots are from a different type of doll than the original Hitogata. [3]
In the Heian Period (794-1185), the belief started that the dolls had the power to trap evil spirits. During this time there were two different type of dolls that fulfilled this purpose. One was used by the nobility and one by the common people. For the nobility, Amagatsu were dolls made of bamboo and covered in silk, placed over newborns to protect them from evil and sickness. For the common people, Hōko were dolls made of stuffed cloth, but used in the same way. [4] The two were offered together during the Sekku on this day and are thought to be the first hina dolls paired together. [5]
The fancier and permanent dolls that are known in the Hina Matsuri today started in the Muromachi Period (1333-1537). However, none of the dolls from this period survive today and the tradition is mainly based on the Edo Period's take on the dolls. During the Edo Period, the Hina Matsuri dolls were made with more craftsmanship and became status symbols. The merchants class that had developed during this era tried to use money to rival the noble classes and the Hina Matsuri dolls became a chance to show their status. This process became so out of control, with the displays filling whole rooms or dolls being larger than 3 feet in height, that the Shogunate had to institute Hina Matsuri reforms in 1721. [6] Even to the present day, the Hina Matsuri doll displays are more of a social status display than the original spiritual meaning from the Heian Era days. The exception to this can be seen in a few festivals at a few shrines around the country that still take the dolls and symbolically cast them into the sea. The most famous of these might be at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto, which even predates the capital there founded in the 6th century.
This tradition of Hina Matsuri doll displays continues today. These dolls are displayed on a series of 5 or 7 shelves depending on the region (Kyoto has 5 tiers, while Edo, or present day Tokyo has 7). The display platform is called Hina Dan (雛壇). The Hina Dan is always covered by a red carpet called the Dankake (緋毛氈) or Hi-mōsen (緋毛氈).
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| A very elaborate, fancy and expensive hina matsuri display. [7] |
These dolls are the most famous part of this holiday. They are displayed both in people's homes and in the public. The dolls themselves range from simple and inexpensive, to exquisite quality and incredibly expensive. These dolls are also passed down from previous generations and the dolls could very well be considered art, antiques and even priceless artifacts. The display itself has a very formal order, both in the dolls and things that are on the display and on which tier they are to appear. The order is as follows:
The first and highest tier is for Dairisama (御内裏様). Dairi means Imperial Palace, so this tier is for the Emperor and Empress. Originally, these two dolls were considered just a court couple, but the Pre-War (World War II) government made the dolls symbolize the Emperor and Empress to increase country patriotism. They currently are still thought to be the Emperor and Empress. [8] This is the most important one and even for families that don't have the full display, they will have at least the Emperor and Empress. The Emperor holds a ritual baton called a Shaku (笏) and the Empress holds a fan. They sit in front of a gold folding screen, the Emperor on the left, the Empress on the right. Some extra items on this tier are the lampstands (Bonbori, 雪洞) and paper or silk lanterns (Hibukuro, 火袋). There also can be two vases of peach branches (Kuchibana, 口花) called Sanbō Kazari (三方飾).
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| Our Dairisama display at home for Hina Matsuri. In front are Hishimochi, which are diamond shape rice cakes, a Hina Matsuri custom food. This is usually displayed on the 4th tier of the 5 tier display. |
The next tier is for the Sannin Kanjo (三人官女), or the three court ladies and their sake equipment. The standing lady on the left is the backup sake bearer, Kuwae no Chōshi (加えの銚子). The one sitting in the middle is the seated sake bearer, Sanpō (三方). The last one standing on the right is the long-handled sake bearer, Nagae no Chōshi (長柄の銚子). Accessories that are included on the 2nd tier are Takatsuki (高坏). They are round stands for seasonal sweets.
The 3rd tier is for the 5 male court musicians called Gonin Bayashi (五人囃子). Starting from the left is the seated Taiko (太鼓), who holds a small drum. Next is the standing Ōtsuzumi (大鼓), holding a large drum. In the middle is the standing Kotsuzumi (小鼓) playing the hand drum. To the right of him is the seated Fue (笛) or Yokobue (横笛) player, playing the flute. All the way on the right is the Utaikata (謡い方) or singer, holding a folding fan called Sensu (扇子) standing.
The 4th tier has the Daijin (大臣) or the two ministers. They are the Minister of the Left, Sadajin (左大臣) and the Minister of the Right, Udajin (右大臣). The Minister of the Right is the young one and on the left, while the Minister of the Left is the old one and on the right (remember left and right is flipped from the viewer's perspective). Between them are a variety of stands and tables. The tables with covered bowls are called Kakebanzen (掛盤膳) or sometimes O-zen (お膳). As mentioned above, there is also the Hishimochi (菱餅), which is on Hishidai (菱台) stands that are diamond shaped.
The 5th tier always has a cherry blossom tree on the left (Sakon no Sakura, 左近の桜) and a mandarin orange tree on the right (Ukon no Tachibana, 右近の橘). In between the trees are the three Shicho (仕丁) or the foot servants of the Emperor and Empress. They are also known as the three people's habits, or Sannin Jōgo (三人上戸). From left to right, they are: the crying one (Nakijōgo, 泣き上戸), the angry one (Okorijōgo, 怒り上戸) and the laughing one (Waraijōgo, 笑い上戸). Depending on the region they each hold something different. One way is they hold the Emperor's shoes, umbrella and hat respectively. Another way is they hold a dust pan, rake and broom respectively.
A quick note about Sannin Jōgo: If you happen to do more research about Hina Matsuri and the doll displays, you will often see the Sannin Jōgo mentioned as the three drinkers or three heavy drinkers, and their names as the crying drinker, angry drinker and happy drinker respectively. After discussing it with my girlfriend, this is a misreading of the kanji / misunderstanding of the translation. The kanji and specific word of Jōgo can mean heavy drinking or drinking habits, but it can also mean habits in general. What adds to this confusion is the display being of a wedding celebration with the court ladies having sake and the foot servants representing the lower class, so it depicts them after finishing their work which would be celebrated by drinking, making the drinking translation seem to be the right one. The real meaning however, is supposed to represent the habbits or personalities of foot servants and that these three will always do their action regardless of the situation.
If a display has 7 tiers, the 6th and 7th tiers hold the Dogu (道具), or court furnishings. These displays are put up a few weeks before the holiday and are usually taken done immediately after the holiday, as there is a common superstition that leaving them out longer will result in a late marriage for their daughter. However, like everything else about the doll displays, there is no set way throughout all of Japan and different regions have different traditions, customs and superstitions about the doll displays. These displays are often given to the girls as a gift from their grandparents on the girl's first Hina Matsuri called Hatsu Zekku (初節句). In other cases, they might buy the first tier on Hatsu Zekku and buy more each year after until the collection is complete due to the expensive nature of the dolls. [9]
Besides the doll displays, Hina Matsuri has a variety of traditional foods to eat during the holiday. These include Chirashizushi, Ushiojiru, Hishimochi, Hina Arare and the drink, Shirozake.
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| The Chirashizushi that we had for Hina Matsuri. |
Chirashizushi (ちらし寿司), 'scattered sushi' is sushi rice flavored with sugar and vinegar with raw fish and different ingredients on top depending on the region or the person making it. Ours had carrots, egg cut into small strips, strips of nori (seaweed) and salmon sashimi. The next traditional dish is a clear clam soup called Ushiojiru (潮汁). It is a salt based soup with clams still in the shell. The dish symbolizes a happy marriage, because the 2 shells to each clam perfectly fit each other and only each other. We didn't have this dish or the next one, Hishimochi. Hishimochi (菱餅) are the sweet rice cakes that I have mentioned above, because they are present in the doll display. They are diamond shaped colored sweet rice cakes. The colors are often green on the bottom, white next and red or pink on the top. However, this also depends on the region and sometimes the red is replaced with yellow, and sometimes there are even 5 - 7 levels of the Hishimochi.
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| The Arare that we had for Hina Matsuri. |
Hina Arare (ひなあられ) is a traditional Hina Matsuri sweet. Arare means 'Snow Pellet' and is a bite size rice cracker flavored with soy sauce. There are a variety of Arare which differ in size, shape, color, taste and use. For example, Kaki no Tane (柿の種) is another type of Arare that are a small crescent shape Arare and orange in color, which are not sweet but tasty and often served with peanuts. This snack is called kakipī (かきピー) and is a popular drinking / bar snack (maybe this helps give an idea of the snack's range). Hina Arare are a very colorful and sweet version of Arare. These can come in white, yellow, pink, brown, light green and other colors mixed into one bag. Japanese food and even desserts do not use much sugar or have very sweet items like back at home, so I was really surprised when I had Hina Arare for the first time. For Japanese foods, it's super sweet. It would be on par with the more sugary-sweet items in the U.S. as well, but as a baked rice cracker.
Shirozake (白酒), 'white sake' is a sweet white sake made with sticky rice, koji mold and mirin, or sweet cooking sake. Shirozake has less alcohol than other sakes and is also a mixture of rice porridge along with the sake drink.
Seeing as we don't have any girls at home, there is very little to celebrate. However, it is also a holiday for women, so my girlfriend wanted us to get a doll display for the holiday. After a bit of shopping in a variety of department stores we decided on the one you can see in the pictures above. We also had Chirashizushi and Hina Arare, which you can see in the pictures above as well.
While Hina Matsuri is one of the many small holidays in Japan, it still holds a lot of charm and it's interesting to see how the traditional cultural identity and celebration of girls is in Japan.
References:
1. Diane Durston, "HINA MATSURI," Kansai Time Out, (March, 1982), quoted in "Hina Matsuri, the Doll Festival," Portland Japanese Garden.
http://japanesegarden.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Hina-Matsuri-Updated.pdf.
2. "Hina Matsuri / Doll Festival / Girl's Day / March 3rd," Ginkoya.
http://www.ginkoya.com/pages/girlsday.html.
3. Diane Durston, "HINA MATSURI."
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. Tammy Yee, "Celebrations Around the World: Girl's Day, Hina Matsuri," Origami n' Stuff 4 Kids.
http://origami-n-stuff4kids.blogspot.com/2010/03/girls-day-hina-matsuri.html.
8. Diane Durston, "HINA MATSURI."
9. "Hinamatsuri," aurachan.faithweb.com.
http://aurachan.faithweb.com/hinamatsuri.html.
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