Hina-matsuri

Today is 「ひな祭り」 (Hina-matsuri (“Princess (Doll) Festival“)) in Japan.

It’s sometimes still called “Girls’ Day” because families with daughters set-up special elaborate doll displays of Japanese royalty and eat a special sushi dinner.

The city of Katsuura in Chiba Prefecture is known for their huge Hina-matsuri display.

This year’s display could be seen there until today (2014 March 3rd).

Even if you can make it to that area to see their big doll display, Katsuura is still a very beautiful place to visit.

Today is Girls’ Day

Today is March 3rd. In Japan, ひな祭 (“Princess Festival“) is celebrated on this day.
This day used to be called “Girls Day” (and sometimes still is) because families will daughters display elaborate sets of dolls of the Emperor and Empress of Japan and the Royal court.
It’s often called “Doll Festival” too.

The dolls are displayed on a staircase-like stage with the Emperor and Empress at the top and the royal court arranged by rank (the lowest “step” having the lowest “ranked” members of the court).

We have three daughters so of course we have a display of dolls like this. But now that my kids are getting older, we don’t display the dolls anymore. It’s too much work! 😉

Japan also celebrates 「子供の日」 (“Children’s Day“) on May 5th…this holiday used to be called “Boys Day” because families with a son display 「鯉のぼり」 (“Carp Streamers“) and a Samurai display.

On May 5th, Carp Streamers are flown by familes with a son.

Anyways, many families in Japan with daughters set up their Doll Festival sets in late February and take them back down promptly on March 4th (the day after the holiday) because it’s an “Old Wives’ Tale” in Japan that daughters in families that delay putting the dolls away will have difficulty finding a future husband.

If you want to see a ひな人形　(“Princess Festival” doll-set) on display, you should visit 勝浦 (Katsuura, Chiba, Japan) on March 3rd. They have a huge display every year.

And, as they often do for world holidays, Google‘s logo is presently representing Japan’s 「ひな祭」　(“Princess Festival“).

Does your country have special holidays for children too?

65 Years Ago

Yesterday was the Japanese holiday 「ひな祭」 (Doll Festival).
Click here to see my FAQ about it.

People with daughters decorate their homes with an elaborate princess doll display.
We have 「ひな人形」 (princess dolls), but we haven’t set them up since my kids were young.

It’s also common for families with daughters to eat sushi for dinner on this day. We had an excellent sushi dinner yesterday.

Also, Tuesday was the 65th anniversary of the famous World War Two battle on 「硫黄島」 (Iwo-to (aka: “Iwo-Jima”)) between the U.S. Marines and the Japanese Army.

The photograph of the U.S. Marines raising the American flag on the island is very famous.

In honor of this anniversary, there was a ceremony held on this island to remember those who died in that very bloody battle.
Both U.S. Marines and Japanese soldiers attended this ceremony. The actual remaining survivors of the “Battle Of Iwo-Jima” are too old to make the journey, so younger Marines and soldiers attended in their place.

Ceremony in honor of the 65th anniversary of the "Battle Of Iwo-Jima"

By the way, the name of the island is correctly called “Iwo-To“…”Iwo-Jima” is another possible pronunciation of the characters 「硫黄島」 that spell the island’s name and during the war, it seems, the U.S. military mistakenly began calling the island “Iwo-Jima” and that remained in use after World War Two. But it was recently officially changed back to the original name of  “Iwo-To“.

New school year

Yesterday both my oldest and my youngest daughters had their 入学式 (School Entrance Ceremony).
My oldest daughter began 高等学校 (High School (10th grade)) and my youngest daughter began 中学校 (Junior High School (7th grade)).
(My second daughter is now a 中学校三年生 (Jr. High 9th grader)…her last year of 中学校 (Junior High School)).

Since two of my daughters had their 入学式 (School Entrance Ceremonies) on the same day, my wife went with our youngest daughter and I went with our oldest daughter.

I can’t believe how fast they’re growing up!

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On a different note, here are a few photos that I meant to add to my blog before but never got around to it. Taken from various places around Tokyo at various times this past year:

Tokyo Tower illuminated for New Years 2009.

Tokyo Tower illuminated with "2009" for New Years.

An extremely large doll display for ひな祭 (Doll Festival).

Over a hundred of Torii Gates at 根津神社 (Nezu Shrine).

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About twelve days ago at 六本木ヒルズ (Roppongi Hills), an artist named Yanobe Kenji displayed his 7.2 meter (23.6 feet) tall robot called “Giant Torayan“.

He bills Giant Torayan as

…the ultimate child’s weapon, as it sings, dances, breathes fire, and follows only those orders given by children.

The fire-breathing "Giant Torayan".

Click here to visit the “Giant Toryan” website.

Statues and dolls

There are many interesting statues around Japan…especially in or near train stations.

Often they are of a famous person who lived in the area, a cartoon character whose story took place in that area, or of something or someone that the area is famous for.

I have taken photos of many statues around Japan over the years…maybe oneday I’ll go through them and make a post about them all—but for now, here are just a few that I’ve taken with my ケータイ (cell-phone) camera:

両津勘吉 (Ryoutsukankichi)

At 御宿 (Onjuku, Chiba, Japan)

Tora-san

Sumo

Whale

I’ve got many more photos of statues…as I wrote above, maybe I’ll write another blog-post later about them all.

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Next Tuesday (March 3rd) is ひな祭 (Doll Festival).

On this day, families with daughters set up elaborate sets of dolls of Japanese royalty, and eat a special type of 寿司 (sushi) called ちらし寿司 (Chirashizushi).

I have three daughters, so of course we have a ひな祭の人形 (Doll Festival dolls) set.

Click here to read my FAQ about ひな祭 (Doll Festival).

ひな祭りの人形 (Doll Festival set)