Every year, on March 3rd, people celebrate Hinamatsuri (ひな祭り), “Girl’s Day”, in Japan. Like the name implies, it is a special day to wish for and celebrate girls growing up healthily.
Another translation for Hinamatsuri is “Doll’s Day”. This comes from the fact that one of the main traditions for Hinamatsuri is that households throughout Japan put on display a platform of dolls at home.
The platforms are normally covered with red cloth and consist of 7 levels, and have different dolls placed on each level. The top level normally has two, representing the Emperor and Empress, which are considered the imperial dolls. Other levels have a variety of other dolls and decorations.
These dolls are normally put on display sometime in February, and put away when the festival ends. There is a superstitious belief where leaving the dolls out past March 4th will delay the family daughter’s marriage.
Hinamatsuri is not an official holiday, and businesses operate as usual. Customary beverages and food include Japanese sake and sushi.
Let’s remember the following useful sentences before going to Japan!
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●Ie de wa hinamatsuri wo oiwaishimasuka?
(家ではひな祭りをお祝いしますか？)
> Do you celebrate Girl’s Day at home?
●Hinamatsuri wa naze shukujitsu de wa nainodesuka?
(ひな祭りはなぜ祝日ではないのですか?)
> Why is Girl’s Day not a statutory holiday?
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Now all that’s left is to go out there and try using them in Japan!
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Keisatsu (警察) Fun! Japan Words vol.133
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