Discussion

Major Japanese Holidays

Japan has a number of holidays and other special days for celebrating various events. Some of the most important ones are described below.

Shōgatsu (正月) -- New Year's Celebration: New Year's Day itself is called Ganjitsu (元日). The word Shōgatsu refers to the several day celebration period. Ganjitsu was set to January 1 when Japan adopted the Gregorian Calendar on January 1, 1873.

Ōgon Shūkan (黄金週間) -- Golden Week: This week-long work holiday occurs between April 29 and May 5 every year and combines four holidays in one celebration;

• Shōwa no Hi (昭和の日) or Enlightened Peace Day commemorates Emperor Hirohito's Birthday in recognition of what Japan went through during his tenure.

• Kenpō Kinenbi (憲法記念日) or Constitution Memorial Day celebrates the start of Japan's democracy in 1947.

• Midori no Hi (みどりの日) or Greenery Day, also connected with Emperor Hirohito because of his love of nature, began in 1989.

• Kodomo no Hi (こどもの日) or Children’s Day ends Golden Week on May 5. It used to be called Boys' day (Tango no sekku-- 端午の節句) but was consolidated with Girls Day (Hinamatsuri -- ひな祭り) (celebrated March 3) in 1948 to create a single holiday on May 5 celebrating all children.

Obon (お盆): An annual 3-day Buddhist event in July or August depending on the region in Japan and which calendar is being used, it commemorates one's ancestors in the belief that their spirits return to this world during this time to visit their relatives. In this regard, it is similar to Mexico's Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Bunka no Hi (文化の日) -- Culture Day: Celebrated on November 3, this official national holiday is for the purpose of promoting culture, the arts, and academic endeavor. Festivities typically include art exhibitions, parades, and award ceremonies for distinguished artists and scholars. Various levels of awards are given by the Emperor to deserving individuals.

One of my uncles and two of my aunts were given awards on Buka no Hi by the Emperor.

Hinamatsuri (Girls' Day)

Though Hinamatsuri, was officially combined with Tango no sekku to create Kodomo no Hi (Childrens' Day on May 5) in 1948, Girl's Day, sometimes called the Doll Festival or Girl Festival, is still celebrated on its original March 3 date by many Japanese, especially those with girls in the family. The day is also associated with a peach blossom festival (momo no sekku -- 桃の節句).

The photo below is from the Fuefuki City Peach Blossom Festival in Yamanashi Prefecture.

Hina Dolls

The purpose of Hinamatsuri is to pray for the health and happiness of young girls. The highlight of Hinamatsuri is the display of a special set of dolls in Japanese homes.

Hina dolls are not play things, though that was once the case centuries ago. The most expensive sets of dolls can cost thousands of dollars, so they are often passed down as heirlooms in families. They are usually brought out for display a little before March 3, but tradition says that they must be put away before the end of the day or the girls being honored risk becoming old maids.

A complete set of dolls is displayed on seven tiers representing a Heian Period wedding or Imperial Court setting. The arrangement is flexible. People with little living space, for example, may have room for just the top tier which consists of an emperor and an empress doll. At the most basic level, they may be represented only by pictures.

The second tier of the full display consists of three court ladies.

The third tier has five male musicians.

The fourth has two ministers.

Next comes three protectors of the Emperor and the Empress.

The final two layers display items used in the palace.

Ichihime Shrine in Kyoto has its own way celebrating Hinamatsuri with people portraying the first three tiers of dolls.

Holiday Food

The doll display isn't the only feature of Hinamatsuri. Special foods are typically part of the day. There are many of these including a layered sushi cake, pictured below.

Others include a clear clam soup, cabbage ramen salad, edamame mixed rice, and salmon. Favorite beverages are shirozake and amazake, both made from fermented rice. Their flavors are very similar, but the alcohol content varies considerably. Shirozake is very strong, but amazake has hardly any alcohol in it.

Special sweet treats are always holiday favorites. Among the special desserts eaten during Hinamatsuri is Hishi mochi, pictured below. It is often part of the doll display. It is diamond shaped to represent fertility. Layers are always red or pink on top (representing peach flowers), white (snow) in the middle, and green (new growth) on the bottom. Each layer has a special flavor; cape jasmine for red, water caltrop for white, and mugwort for green. The colors together symbolize good health. There are five and seven layer variations.

Song

Hinamatsuri has its own songs. Here is the music of one of them.

Artwork

The ukiyo-e print below by Kitagawa Utamaro (1753 - 1806) shows fashionably dressed young ladies looking at Hinamatsuri dolls. Utamoro was one of the Edo Period's greatest ukiyo-e artists. He is best known for his pictures of courtesans relaxing behind the scenes. In that regard, some people might think of him as Japan's answer to France's Toulouse-Lautrec if it weren't that Utamaro came earlier.

Here is another of Utamaro's Hinamatsuri woodblock prints. If it weren't for the writing, it would be hard to tell that Hinamatsuri was the subject. Perhaps the ladies are sharing some of their favorite Hinamatsuri foods.

This print is in Utamaro's style, but the artist is Chōbunsai Eishi (1756-1829). The picture represents Hinamatsuri in a series titled The Five Elegant Festivals (1795). The young lady is holding a doll set on a platform that she appears to have removed from the box in the lower right-hand corner of the picture. The flower arrangement looks like it may feature peach blossoms.