G'day! How's it going?
Have you ever seen dolls like the ones in this picture? These are famous dolls in Japan called Hina dolls. It's Hinamatsuri on the 3rd of March, which is celebrated as Doll's Festival, a day to celebrate the health and happiness of girls. Since plum blossoms bloom during this season, it is also known as "Momono sekku". Hina dolls, which are decorated in houses on this day, are usually displayed starting from the middle of February.
Generally, Hina dolls have a three-tier structure. On the top tier, there's a pair of dolls representing a man and a woman, followed by three women serving the imperial court on the second tier, and five musicians on the third tier. However, there are also one-tier or five-tier structures.
Next, I will introduce the food for Doll's Festival.
Chirashi zushi:
It is a type of sushi eaten on auspicious days, consisting of colorful toppings such as shrimp, lotus roots, eggs, and beans placed on top of vinegared rice.
Clam soup:
Clam shells come together in pairs, so they are eaten in hopes of finding a good match and living happily ever after.
Hishimochi/Hina Arare:
Hishimochi is a stack of pink, white, and green diamond-shaped rice cakes offered to Hina dolls, symbolizing the wish for the prosperity of descendants. Hina arare is a rice cracker made by crushing hishimochi into small pieces and roasting them, created to be easy and convenient to eat outside.
This festival is said to have started over 1000 years ago during the Heian period. Therefore, the dolls have the appearance of aristocrats from that time.
That's all about Hinamatsuri.
Japanese Phrases Related to "event"
- あなたが楽しみにしているイベントや伝統行事はありますか？（Anataga tanoshiminishiteiru eventoya dentogyojiwa arimasuka?）：Are there any events or traditions in your country that you look forward to?
- 今までで一番記憶に残るイベントは何ですか? (Imamadede ichiban kiokuninokoru ibentowa nandesuka?）：What's the most memorable event you've been to?
- 今年はコンサートやショーに行く予定はありますか?（Kotoshiwa konsa-toya shouni ikuyoteiwa arimasuka?）：Are you planning to go to any concerts or shows this year?
- 私は海の日に家族と一緒に海に行くのが好きです（Watashiwa uminohini kazokutoisshoni uminiikunoga sukidesu）：I like going to the beach with my family on Marine Day.