Culture Hina Matsuri, Japan's Doll Festival

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The Katsuura Big Hina Matsuri is currently captivating tourists with its grand exhibition of approximately 10,000 hina dolls, generously donated from various regions across Japan. These exquisite dolls will be showcased at multiple locations throughout the picturesque port city of Katsuura until the Hina Matsuri on 3rd March. The festivities commenced on 23 February. At the Tomisakijinja shrine, the festival's main venue, a stunning display of around 1,800 figurines graces the sixty stone steps. Local residents meticulously adorn these steps with the dolls each morning during the event, only to carefully stow them away at night.

The article Hina Matsuri has been updated:

Several edits and corrections.

Tomorrow is Hina Matsuri!

A hina ningyō set at a local bunka centre.

This year's Hina Matsuri festival saw a bit of diversity.

As more people live in space-constrained apartments, more are forgoing the tradition. The Mainichi Shimbun explored how a dollmaking company adapts by offering same-gender sets, modern designs, and themes ranging from Gothic Lolita fashion to soft-drink-inspired colours.

All photos by Suzuki Dolls, Iwatsuki, Saitama, via Mainichi.

The Gothic Lolita-style dolls are dressed all in black, setting them apart from the usually brightly coloured sets. They have reportedly been well received. The modern-looking hina dolls have been a series since 2018 and are gaining popularity each year. There are currently around 20 to 30 designs, and this year, 500 sets -- 100 more than last year -- were released, but according to the store, they had nearly sold out by the 3 March Girls' Day. Around 60% of sales come in the lead-up to the 3 March festival; many of these customers are young mothers. Another 30% comes from high school girls, university-aged women, and restaurants looking to enhance their interior decorations. The remaining tenth of sales are to foreign tourists.

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Japan is getting ready for Hina Matsuri:

A display of about 4,500 traditional hina dolls has opened to the public at Tsubosaka Temple in Takatori. The exhibition, known as the Great Hina Mandala, arranges donated dolls to evoke a Buddhist mandala. They are set around the temple's principal image, the Eleven-Faced Thousand-Armed Kannon. The dolls were sent from across Japan. The temple stages the event each year at this time, using offerings received from households nationwide.





About 600 traditional hina dolls were set out on the stone steps of the Akizuki Castle ruins on 21 February, as part of the Hinameguri festival, which runs through 8 March. From early morning, staff and a small group of visitors placed the dolls one by one along the steps leading up to the Nagayamon gate. The site is known for its autumn leaves and cherry blossoms.



When the final dolls were arranged, applause broke out. The Asakura Tourism Association said the unused dolls had been gathered with help from residents. On busy days, roughly 1,000 tourists visit the Akizuki district, often described as "Little Kyoto of Chikuzen," which is now part of Fukuoka Prefecture. In recent years, an association official said, more visitors have brought pets to pose for photographs.

On the occasion of Hina Matsuri: