*Hinamaturi '雛祭り';  Girl's Day Festival exhibition by local Handicraft Association* 

Knowing from the local TV news, I went to next city's department store to see this exhibition. 

This association is called 'タンポポの会 Tanpopo no kai'.  I was so amazed at the big scale of exhibited works. I couldn't post pictures as many as I satisfied to show you p:-)  Even so, please bear me with this long picture post.

*First time to see Hina-Doll made of Cocoon Filament*

＊Japanese bride wearing Kimono bridal costume*

*Works with Monkey's Design which is this year's Oriental Zodiac Sign*

Thank you very much for stopping by;

Girl's Day Exhibition;

＊雛人形, Hina Doll* 　(Expanded from the first doll picture below)

Choufu-city in my prefecture is a castle town, where is one of the reason (or triggered) to open the door to the Meiji Restoration.  At Mori-residence in the city, 'Hina-Doll Exhibition' ←link is going on.  As I've posted about this festival last couple years, I wish you to enjoy the pictures :-)  Traditional Japanese festival held to wish girls both health and growth.  

*Entrance, walk way and inside of the front door*

*Two main Tiered Doll Stand for Hina Dolls and other works*

*This lady showed me how the Japanese '手鞠・Temari'  is made*

She explained me that the purple color bird is made by using her grandmother's kimono.
So the work has special meaning for her.  Hope you can see the arrow in the picture below.

*For the last, one arrangement and the back yard*

         Some of my old friends might remember;  

I wish I still had my doll which my grandmother gave me but they were eaten by mouse. Traditionally, Hina-doll is bought by grand parents.

Thank you very much for stopping by;

Bit Early Hina-Maturi post;

Early Feb. means Hina-maturi (雛祭り, girl's festival on March 3rd) is just around the corner in Japan. The traditional Japanese festival held to wish girls both health and growth. Hina means doll and matsuri means festival. here's the link of my other "hinamaturi-posts".

Yeterday, my dear friend and I went to "old Japanese (igura style) house" to see the beautiful decoration of Hina-maturi. I've already introduced the house here. It is the 130 year old house with 2 layered tiled roof and plastered wall owned by transportation business people. 

              As I pasted 2 links, I'll skip more lengthy explanation p;)

        Instead, I wish you to enjoy the pictures, (if possible,enlarged ones)

when we went into the house,
this cute girl with kimono was posing her father's camera

this is how innermost of the main room was look like

to our surprise, there was koto and shakuhachi play, many people were already listening

       *many hina-dolls and decoration*

    outside of the main room

     *Decorated items at another exhibiting places*

Thanks to my friend, I got a chance to see this event. And I also appreciate my friends to visit me despite of my ungratefulness. Finally, I'll be free and no plan after I have finished my late father's 100th day service today...

Hina Doll "now nd past"

Hina Matsuri "Girls' Day"    (posted; Japanese culture page)

(this is a re-post from last year, edited a little, for my new friends sake) 

March 3rd is Doll Festival or Girls' Day ←link,  the traditional Japanese festival held to wish girls both health and growth. Hina means doll and matsuri means festival. 

The dolls are decorated after (Feb.3) Setubun ←link for my post   and until probably before 10th of March. (It is said that if you are displaying them so long, the girl might miss the chance to marry, maybe one of the superstitions, haha)
The custom of displaying dolls began during the Heian period (about 800~1200).  Formerly, people believed the dolls possessed the power to contain bad spirits. From an ancient Japanese custom, straw hina dolls are set afloat on a boat and sent down a river to the sea, supposedly taking troubles or bad spirits with them.  

Usually, grandparents buy the set to their granddaughter. The two most important dolls on top of the tiered stand are the Emperor and Empress. Girls also dress up specially on this day in their best kimonos. Mine were destroyed by the mice many decades ago(^^;)

Hina Doll (Hina ningyo)   link← for the pictures

*modern version of  dolls*

Surprised to see she wears pierced earring

* old version of dolls*

*nursery rhyme for the day from You-tube*

Akari wo tsukemasho bonbori ni
O hana wo agemasho momo no hana
Gonin bayashi no fue daiko
Kyou wa tanoshii hina matsuri

(English Translation)
Let's light the lanterns on the tiered stand.
Let's put peach blossoms on the tiered stand.*
Five court musicians are playing flutes and drums.
Today is a happy Dolls' Festival.

(sorry that I found only short part of the song)

I'm so sorry for posting so soon and long one today (^^;)  

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. 

I'll link this post Our World Tuesday