ひな祭り – Hina-Matsuri

March 3rd is Hina-matsuri (English translation “Dolls’ Festival, Girls’ Day, or Dolls’ Day.”)  It is not an official holiday, but a traditional event held every year to celebrate the health of a young girl in the family and to wish a happy marriage for her in the future.  In ancient times, a doll was dropped into a river on this day to symbolically dispose of a young girl’s illness or bad luck.  Later, this doll became a symbol of the young girl herself, and now a female doll is displayed with a male doll (her future husband), amid servants, flowers, food, and drinks.  The display is called hinakazari.  These dolls are not toys, but beautiful and often expensive images dressed in elaborate costumes like those worn at the imperial court long ago.