46. Peach Blossom’s Festival

We have Boy’s Day and Girl’s Day

from ancient times in Japan.

The Girl’s Day, also called Doll’s Festival or Momo-no-Sekku, peach blossom’s festival, is on March 3rd.

A complete set of Hina dolls can be seen only in the department store.

We celebrate the girls’ growth with displaying dolls and peach blossoms. The dolls are called Hina and consists of at least two to eighteen different dolls. They represent an ancient noble couple and retinues. They should be displayed according to a certain rule and cleared soon after the festival.

Not only the displaying way but the faces of Hina dolls change with the current of the times. Make reference to the set of my Hina dolls at the end of this blog.

Traditionally they are displayed on a staircase-like-display-stage covered with red cloth. However, due to the contemporary housing situation, simplified or compacted sets are preferred.

Families having a girl child display Hina dolls and entertain guests with sweets and shiro-sake or ama-sake, the latter of which contains no (or little) alcohol.

At Girl’s Festival we entertain guests with shiro-sake and colorful sweets.

Auntie Mee’s Hina dolls consist of fifteen members.