[English&日本語]

Belated Happy Doll's Festival!!

Today I would like to share some histories about our Doll's Festival!

We call it "Hina-matsuri" in Japanese.

On March 3rd,

we celebrate female children and pray their continued health and happiness with specific dolls.

These dolls are called "Hina dolls".

Japan has five seasonal festivals (called "go-sekku") that inform us changing from season to season and are coming from China.

This Doll's Festival is one of them.

It's also called "Peach Festival (momo-no-sekku)".

Families often buy a set of dolls when their first daughter is born.

Some have only the male odairisama (the Emperor doll) and female ohinasama (the Empress doll), and others have additional dolls like sannin kanjo or gonin bayashi.

Then let's start from its origin!

Around the Heian period, on March 3rd, people used to make straw dolls called "hitogata".

They set them afloat on a boat and sent down a river to the sea, supposing the act took troubles and bad spirits with them.

This custom is called "Nagashi-bina".

Meanwhile,

there was a traditional form of toy play called "Hina-asobi".

This game was in fashion among people in a noble class. They played with a pair of paper dolls that had both male and female.

It is said that these two customs got together and became one festival called "Hina-matsuri".

Nowadays, this festival is only for girls.

HOWEVER!!

It was originally for BOTH girls and boys and was a custom made by parents who wished that their children would grow up with lots of happiness and no illnesses.

By the way,

Hina dolls are roughly divided into "Kyo-bina" and "Kanto-bina".

Kyo-bina is made in Kyoto, which is located in Kansai area, while Kanto-bina is made in Kanto area. (Tokyo is located in Kanto area!)

The biggest difference between these two types is the position of the male odairisama.

Speaking of Kyo-bina,

the odairisama is set on the right side when you face them.

This is based on a Japanese traditional culture that the person in a higher position stands on the left side of the other.

By contrast, in Kanto-bina, the odairisama is set on the left side as you face.

The question you might think is why it is different from Kyo-bina.

In Meiji period, western culture was spread around Japan.

Internationally, the right side meant higher than the left side.

This is opposite to Japanese tradition.

When Emperor Taishou ascended the throne, he stood on the right side of the Empress, which means the left side as you face.

It was the beginning of this custom.

As the Imperial Palace, where the Emperor and Empress lived, had already moved to Tokyo, it came into fashion in Kanto area.

And then, it became the mainstream throughout Japan.

In Japan, some people believe that leaving Hina dolls out too long will harm a daughter’s chances of marriage.

I guess it's just because it is considered as laziness.

That's ALL for today!!

Related to capacity, I couldn't upload any pictures..

I apologize about that;(

If you're interested in this culture, please visit those sites that I put URL at the end of this article:)

ーーーーーーーーーーー

少し遅れてしまいましたが、

今回は3月3日の雛祭りについて調べてみました

五節句の1つで、

上巳の節句、または桃の節句とも呼ばれています。

では、まず最初に由来から！

平安時代頃から3月3日(上巳の節句)に行われていた、草や藁で人形(ひとがた)を作り、それで身体を撫でて穢れを移し、川や海に流して厄を払うという「流し雛」

同じ頃、貴族たちの間で流行っていた、男女対の紙人形を使ったおままごとのような遊びの「ひいな遊び」

この2つが合わさってできた文化だと言われています。

今では雛祭りは女の子のためのイベントとされていますが、

歴史を遡ってみると、

男女関係なく、子どもが健やかに育ってくれることを祈ったことが始まりだったみたいです。

さて

雛人形には、

京雛と関東雛の2種類があることは知っていますか？

その一番の違いは、お殿様の位置！

京雛では向かって右側

関東雛では向かって左側

にお殿様が座っています。

日本では昔から「左上座」といわれ、偉い人が向かって右側に立つという風習がありました。

京雛がこれに基づいています。

では、

どうして関東雛は反対なのか？？

これには、

日本の西洋化が関係しているみたいです

ほほー！！

明治時代、国際的な「右が上位」という考え方が日本でも取り入れられるようになりました。

大正天皇が即位される時、洋風のスタイルで皇后陛下の右、つまり向かって左側に立たれたことが、この風習の始まりと言われています

そして、右上位の文化は、当時すでに皇居があった関東を中心に広がり、今では関東雛が全国的に主流となっているそうです。

ちなみに、

雛人形は早くしまわないと婚期を逃すと言われていますが、

時期を過ぎたのにダラダラと飾ったままにしておくのはだらしないぞ、ということらしいです。

3月3日を過ぎたら、天気も見つつ、早めにしまいましょうね

容量の関係で画像が載せれずごめんなさい

次の節句は

5月の端午の節句(こどもの日)です！

では、また

参考文献 (References) :

人形の久月

https://www.kyugetsu.com/dolls-histry-and-tradition/dolls-histry-and-tradition_02

安藤人形店

http://www.ando-doll.com/hina/glossary/kind.html

雛人形.jp

http://hinaningyou.jp/know04.html

English tutor : 新しい挑戦です:)

Doll's Festival : 3月3日 雛祭り (Hina-matsuri)

終わりから始まる、新たな出発。

Doll's Festival : 3月3日雛祭り (Hina-matsuri)