Hina Matsuri

March 3 is Hina Matsuri, also called Girls' Day, where families celebrate the birth of daughters and pray for their wellbeing and future.

Hina means 'princess'.

Girls have a large variety of Hina Dolls, that represent the Emperor and Empress' traditional wedding ceremony.

The Emperor and Empress sit together at the top, with servants and musicians sitting below them, and cherry and orange trees arranged together with new furniture that the Empress will bring into her new life following the marriage! There are also cow and horse-drawn carriages too.

According to tradition, families tend to pack up all of these beautiful dolls and decorations as soon as March 3 passes. There is a saying that any daughters in the family will not marry young if the family does not do this!