Hinamatsuri - ひな祭り

ひな祭り is also known as “Girl’s Day” or “Japanese Doll Festival”. It is a traditional Japanese holiday that is celebrated on March 3rd. It is also called 桃の節句 (momo no sekku) or “festival of peach blossoms.”

ひな祭り (hinamatsuri) is a day to pray for young girls’ growth and happiness. To celebrate, Japanese families who have young girls display ひな人形 (hina ningyō – hina dolls) in their homes. Traditionally, these dolls were believed to have the power to take bad spirits. That is why they have to be taken down from display soon after ひな祭り (hinamatsuri) ends. If the dolls are left up past March 4th, it is said that it will result in a late marriage for the daughter.

 Some traditional ひな祭り foods!

菱餅 (hishimochi) is a special kind of mochi (rice cake) that is colored pink, white, and green. The pink (peach blossoms) is for chasing evil spirits away, the white (snow) is for purity, and the green (new growth) is for health.

ひなあられ (hina arare) – sugar-coated popped rice. 

桜餅 (sakura mochi) - pink mochi filled with sweet bean paste and covered with cherry leaves.

甘酒 (amazake) - sweet sake. 

ちらし寿司 (chirashizushi) – sushi rice with a variety of vegetables, egg, and fish or shrimp on top. Chirasu is a verb that means “to scatter” so chirashizushi is like “scattered sushi”.