Doll Day in Japan Celebrates Good Wishes and Protection for Daughters

Japan celebrates "Hinamatsuri," Doll Day today, as a day to send good wishes for the health, innocence and protection for the daughters in the family. March 3rd is also called "Momo no sekku," which signifies the start of the peach season.

Traditional dolls for "Hinamatsui" are called "hina-ningyo," and are given to girls when they are born either by their grandmother or mother. In some cases, dolls are passed down from generation to generation. Mai Hasebe, 23, from Yokohama, Japan was given a new set of dolls from her grandmother when she was born.

The dolls are arranged in tiers. A very common doll set up has four tiers. On the top tier is the emperor and empress. The next tier has three girl dolls which are the empress' maids. On the third tier there are two men who are old and wise and use their wisdom to advise the young emperor. Lastly there are five warriors, normally little boys, who are supposed to watch over the emperor and empress.

On Hinamatsuri, little girls are given sweet drinks and chirashi zuchi (suchi with pink accents.)

After the day celebration, the dolls are put away very fast. It is an old saying that the longer you wait to put the dolls away, the longer it takes your daughter to get married.

In rural areas of Japan, the holiday is celebrated differently. Dolls are placed on a boat and sent down the river. The dolls are intended to take all of the daughter's  negativity and get it out of the house.