Happy Girls Day!

My Kansas buddy, DrumMajor asked me to explain what Girls Day was about when I did a post about the card I'd painted for our granddaughter.  I know quite a bit about this holiday because my mother explained a lot of it to me over the years.  However, I didn't know what it was like in Japan right now.  I decided to go to an expert I know in Japan.  Bob is an American who lives in Tokyo with his family and has a blog called Tokyo Five.

He keeps me current, so  I decided to have a guest blogger for the first time since Bob could explain it all so much better than I could.  He says he even did a blog post about it a couple of years ago.  Here is the link:  http://tokyo5.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/girls-day/

In Japan, there are many unique holidays and events.  Some of them are 祝日 (public holidays), ie: a "day off", and others are not.

The next one on the calendar is March 3rd (3/3).
It is ひな祭り (literally, "Princess Festival").  It's often called "Doll Festival" in English, or sometimes by it's former name "Girls Day".

It's not a 祝日 (public holiday); therefore it's not a "day off" from school or work.

How is it celebrated? And why was it called "Girls Day"?

In late February, families in Japan with daughters will set up an elaborate doll set (which is why this day is often called "Doll Festival" in English).

The doll set is on a red stand that is elevated like a staircase and the dolls are of the Japanese Imperial court. The Emperor and Empress sit at the top and each step down has lower-ranking members.

Many kindergartens and shrines in Japan also set up a doll display at this time of year.
There is a shrine not too far from Tokyo that is famous for it's huge doll display that covers each of the eighty or so steps up to the shrine!

There is a superstition that the set must be taken down by March 4th or that family's daughter won't find a husband in her future.

Also, on March 3rd, families with daughters usually eat a special type of sushi called "Chirashi-zushi".

As I mentioned, March 3rd (3/3) is called 「ひな祭り」 ("Princess Festival" or "Doll Festival"), but it used to be called "Girls Day".

So, on May 5th (5/5), there is a holiday called 「こどもの日」 ("Children's Day").
This day is a 祝日 (public holiday), so most people have the day off from work or school.
In fact, it's the final day is three-in-a-row series of consecutive holidays that are collectively known as "Golden Week".

May 5th, 「こどもの日」 ("Children's Day") used to be called "Boys' Day".

So, March 3rd was "Girls Day" and it wasn't a day off, but May 5th was "Boys Day" which is a day off.
Kinda unfair. So, many people suspect that is the reason the names were changed.

Although, May 5th is now "Children's Day", it is celebrated by families with sons.
On this day, families with sons will fly 「鯉のぼり」 (Carp streamers) outside their houses. And they put a display of a samurai, sword, or something similar in their homes.

A special type of rice cake is eaten on this day.

Thank you for this wonderful lesson, Bob! 

I sure didn't know about taking down the Girls Day dolls by the 4th.  My mother had my dolls (and my brother's) up year round. We both got married anyway though.  I was shocked to see how much these dolls cost at the supermarket (above) a couple of weeks ago.

1979: A doll from her great-grandmother

Interestingly, my grandmother in Japan sent this special doll to our daughter, Tiffany a few decades ago for Girls Day.  She did send another Japanese doll a few years later that was more traditional and exquisite.

On May 5th, I shall have to walk around the neighborhood and take some carp photos for Boys Day.