On March 3rd, most families with daughters will be celebrating Hina Matsuri, which is also known as Momo-no-sekku or Girls’ Day in English. Hina Matsuri is my favorite Japanese holiday, or maybe Tanabata is, but I like them both a lot. Hina Matsuri is unlike many foreign holidays. Families celebrate the day by putting Hina Dolls on display. (Learn more about the dolls and their arrangement here. You can also learn how to fold an origami Hina empress and emperor.)
And really cute and sweet-tasting food is served. Most Girls’ Day fare are pink and pastel colored, and food presentation is especially important. Each of the food served has some kind of special meaning. Like for example, the Hamaguri Soup. It has a clam in it, and after you drink the soup, you need to fold up the clam to ensure a good marriage in the future.
As an honorary daughter of most of my Japanese friends, I always take part in the festivities. I always have Sakura Mochi and I always get these really cool Girls’ Day presents. I really enjoy this festival because everything is pink, lots of beautiful things are on display and I get to celebrate femininity with the rest of the Japanese female population. Incidentally, many Japanese girls complain that Children’s Day, which is the celebration for boys, is a holiday while Girls’ Day is not. They make a valid argument but then, there aren’t a lot of good food and pretty things on May 5th, so I don’t mind.
Food beats having a day-off anytime for me … I’m a boy and to me Hina Matsuri looks better. What are those yellow coloured candies in the last picture?
Hi simaldeff!
I’m glad you agree. The special Girls’ Day menu is fabulous: Chirashi Sushi, Shirozake, Hamaguri Soup, and of course Sakura Mochi!
The colorful rice puffs are called Hina Arare. Each color of puffs represents special meaning–white is earth, red is life, and green is trees–and is believed to provide energy to those who eat them so that they can drive out their misfortune and disease.
(Taken from http://www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english/webmaga/2005spring/hina.html)
Hi Marie, i think you have your March’s and May’s mixed up with regards to Childrens day …. May the 5th i think you meant.
Thanks, Neil! I’ve just edited it!
Not a problem, everything good over your way Marie? Stopped by a few times and haven’t seen an update in a while. Hope all is well.
Thanks for the message, Neil!
I’ve been trying to work out a few things over the last week. Been wanting to move to a paid blog (so I can activate my Amazon aStore) but don’t know how to do some stuff yet…
Thanks for asking!
Let me know if you have any questions you get stuck on, it’s not my bread and butter but i have done a fair bit through trial and error!
Thanks for the offer, Neil!
I’m sure I will be asking you a lot of things very soon 🙂
I love Girl’s day.
My wife tells me stories of when she was a little girl and how
excited she was for Girl’s day.
She still has a couple of dolls and and a display.
Our friend has a daughter who is 6 years old and
has lived in America most of her life.
She has set up a cute Girl’s day display in her living room.
Thanks for blogging about it.
Thanks for the comment, Rigg!
I can imagine how excited your wife is, as I always am for Girls’ Day! I would love to own real Hina Dolls… I have a Hello Kitty version… but it’s nothing like the real thing!
Thats made me hungrey – me better go gets b’fast ^^;
Thanks for visiting, Danny!!
The Hamaguri Soup or the Hina Arare? Or both? 🙂