March 3rd is Hina Matsuri (Girl\u2019s Day) in Japan when families with young daughters traditionally display hina dolls in their homes. They are filled with characters from ancient imperial court life. Hina Matsuri is the day to pray for young girls.
\nFor those with daughters, interested in traditional Japanese clothing, be sure not to miss this event.<\/p>\n
If you were to directly translate it, it would be \u201cOnnanoko no hi\u201d but that word is actually used little girls as a code word for the period.
\nSo we suggest you use \u201cHina Matsuri\u201d.<\/p>\n
Hina Matsuri is a seasonal festival that takes place in March with traditions to pray for the happiness and health of the girls hence \u201cGirl\u2019s Day.\u201dIt\u2019s also known as doll\u2019s day or the doll festival because households with daughters will display Hina dolls in ancient court costumes called Hina Ningyo on some steps like a platform called a Hina-dan. They are said to protect the girls making sure their healthy, their prosperous lives and that they have good marriage luck. Hina dolls are extremely extravagant, really detail-oriented and super expensive.<\/p>\n
The ritual of Hina matsuri comes from the Chinese calendar. In old-time, the Chinese people would wade in the river to wash away the bad luck. This tradition was brought into Japan during the Nara period and eventually evolved into not waiting in the river. But transferring bad luck to dolls made out of paper or hey called Hina ningyo. Hina means baby birds so it basically means tiny or little. They would transfer all the bad luck to the dolls and then throw them down the river in what was called Hina nagashi. Originally this Hina nagashi event was only conducted by royalty but it began spreading to the general public. The girls of the villages started playing with Hina dolls. The act of playing with these dolls was called \u201cHina asobi\u201d. Asobi means \u201cto play\u201d.And once that happened, the dolls started to get more and more advanced. They started to look better and better, you know doll making techniques were advancing. Once they started to advance, people thought it was a waste to throw them down the river so they started displaying them. That leads to the Hina doll display that we have today.<\/p>\n
The girls that display the Hina dolls have to clean the dolls and put them away right after March 3rd or else they\u2019re said to have bad marriage luck.<\/p>\n
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\nHokyoji Temple is known as \u201cthe Doll Temple\u201d, stores a lot of traditional dolls and it opens only twice a year for doll exhibitions. During the exhibition, many Hina dolls are displayed made in Kyoto and other prefectures. A dance and song are performed by some women in traditional kimono as a dedication to the Hina matsuri ritual.<\/p>\n
Date:
\nMarch 1st to April 3rd
\nTime:
\n10\uff1a00\u301c16\uff1a00 Close the gate
\nAdmission Fee:
\n600 yen (Adult), 300 yen(Younger than 16-year old)
\nAddress:
\n547 Dodo Cho, Teranouchi dori, Horikawa Higashi iru, Kamigyo Ku, Kyoto 602-0072
\nAccess:
\n\u30fb1-minute walk from \u201cHorikawa Teranouchi\u201d bus stop on the Kyoto Bus #9 at Kyoto Station
\n\u30fb15-minute walk from \u201cImadegawa\u201d or \u201cKuramaguchi\u201d St. on the Subway Karasuma Line<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/kyonaka-gozan.kyoto\/media\/koi\/sites\/10\/20190225_2-300x225.jpg\")
\nFor the Nagadhibina ritual, a couple dressed in Heian Period style clothing to represent the Emperor and Empress dolls of a hina set in setting special straw doll figures in the sacred stream at the shrine and letting them flow away. Visitors are able to do the floating hina doll after the ritual and receive the lucky charm and flowers from the shrine.<\/p>\n
Date:
\nMarch 3rd
\nTime:
\n10\uff1a30\u301c
\nAdmission Fee:
\n500 yen per a doll
\nAddress:
\nKamigamo Shrine; 339, Kamigamo Motoyama, Kita Ku, Kyoto 603-8047
\nAccess:
\n\u30fbIn front of \u201cKamigamo jinja mae\u201d bus stop on the Kyoto Bus #4 at Kyoto Station
\n\u30fbA 15-minute walk from \u201cKitaya\u201d Station on Subway Karasuma line<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/kyonaka-gozan.kyoto\/media\/koi\/sites\/10\/20190904-3-300x201.jpg\")
\nIchihime shrine is a popular shrine among women because it has a strong connection to them. It\u2019s no surprise that Ichihime Shrine is host to the unique Girl\u2019s Day event in Kyoto.
\nThere is a \u201cliving doll set\u201d at the Hito- Machi Koryukan across the shrine. A dressing demonstration of the clothing worn by the Emperor and Empress is presented step by step.
\nAfter this demonstration, the whole set is assembled with three court ladies and five musicians. A dance performance by the court ladies and the music by five musicians are performed.<\/p>\n
Date:
\nMarch 3rd
\nTime:
\n13\uff1a30\u301c
\nAdmission Fee:
\nFree
\nAddress:
\nKawaramachi Gojo Sagaru Nifhiiru, Shimogyo Ku, Kyoto 600-8119
\nAccess:
\n\u30fbA 3-minute walk from \u201cKawaramachi Gojo Shomen\u201d bus stop on the Kyoto City Bus #4,205,17 at Kyoto Station
\n\u30fbA 5-minute walk from \u201cKiyomizu Gojo\u201d Station on Keihan line
\n\u30fbA 10-minute walk from \u201cGojo\u201d Station on Subway Karasuma line<\/p>\n
\uff0aThe ritual could be canceled without notifications because of the affection of coronavirus.<\/p>\n
You should receive such local information of Kyoto by an application “KoI APP”.
\nWith this application, even if you don\u2019t have Wi-Fi, you can find nearby stores and so on.
\nYou can install the application from the following URL.<\/p>\n