Hina Matsuri, a doll festival held every year on March 3, has its origins in a Chinese purificatory rite in which known or unknown evils were transferred to doll surrogates (katashiro) which were then cast into a river. However, since the modern equivalent of these dolls are now very costly, exquisitely made works of art in themselves, no one would dream of even playing with them, let alone throwing them about.

A girl usually receives a set of hina dolls from her parents or grandparents at birth or on her first birthday, and these traditionally become a part of the bridal trousseau. The dolls are displayed on a five or seven-tiered shelf (hina-dan), with the place of honour going to the highly valued emperor and empress (dairi-sama) dressed in ancient court costumes. In attendance on lower shelves are ministers and other dignitaries, court ladies and musicians. Miniature lacquered dinner sets, tea ceremony utensils, musical instruments, palanquins and other furnishings of court life are also displayed for extra authenticity, and with a folding screen in place behind the emperor and empress and two lanterns on either side, the hina dolls are indeed a sight to behold.

However, as mentioned before, the dolls are now for viewing only, and the day is celebrated in front of the display with white sake (shirozake) and rice cakes called hishimochi. A type of sushi without raw fish (chirashi-zushi) and shellfish soup are also traditionally eaten on this day. As leaving the dolls out after March 3 is considered unlucky and might delay a girl's marriage, they are carefully rewrapped and packed away on the day immediately following the festival, not to be seen until the next Hina Matsuri.

Where to see Hina dolls:

Hokyo-ji, Kyoto (075-451-1550), Mar.1-Apr.3, 10:00-16:00. Hokyo-ji is often called the Doll Temple because of its extensive collection of dolls. 400 yen/200 yen City bus to Horikawa Teranouchi.

Awashima Jinja, Kada, Wakayama City (0734-59-0043), Mar. 3, 12:00. Hina-nagashi Matsuri (Floating Dolls Festival) - girls and women dedicate dolls to the shrine deity. The dolls are brought to the beach at Kada and foated away on a wooden boat, taking with them all evils and sicknesses that befall women. Free admission. Nankai line from Namba, change at Misakikoen to a local train bound for Kinokawa; there change to the Nankai Kada line to Kada Station then 15-min. walk. From Wakayama take the Nankai Kada line straight to Kada.