This time, I want to try the itemize way of writing to explain Hina-matsuri.

 

Hina-matsuri:

the Doll's Festival

Another name:

Momo no sekku = Peach festival It is held in the peach blossom season on the old lunar calender.

Date:

the third of March

Purpose:

to pray for good health and future happiness of girls

Display:

a set of Hina dolls dressed in kimono of the Heian period(themiddle age)on a tiered stands.

Custom:

Families who have a daughter or daughters displays Hina-dolls in their house and do a party on the day. They drink white sweet sake and eat a lozenge-shaped rice cake as a ceremony.

Hidden custom:

When a girl baby is born, the mother's parents are expected to present a set of Hina-dolls in the time of baby's first Hina-matsuri.

Competition:

Traditional set of Hina-dolls is very expensive, but grand parents easily pay money for their granddaughter. So there are a big market only once a year. Then many Hina-dolls companies make big efforts to sell, thick direct mails, selling exhibition, new designed dolls, etc. Recently in Tokyo, small one pair of hina-doll set is popular because the house is small.

Superstition:

If you display Hina-dolls very early before the day of the Festival, it's no problem, but if you leave these dolls long days after the festival, the daughter will get married late.