Hinamatsuri, ‘the dolls’ festival,’ also known as, ‘girls day,’ takes place on March 3. It is a day that Japanese families pray for their daughters’ happiness and prosperity. Families with daughters display special dolls arranged to reflect social order. Peach blossoms, cube and diamond-shaped rice cakes, and white sake are part of this celebration.
The peach blossoms are symbolic of several ‘feminine’ traits as well as happy marriage. They are used in Hinamatsuri rituals to remind the participants that girls should aspire to these qualities.
The video below is a pop-music tribute, the one above is a more documentary approach showing a display Konosu, Saitama, Japan.
Upholding Culture in Modern Times
Festival of Dolls Still Celebrates Girls' Day in Japan
Trend Themes
1. Celebration of Tradition - Opportunity for companies to create modern products or services that honor and preserve cultural traditions.
2. Interactive Cultural Experiences - Potential for businesses to provide interactive experiences that allow people to engage with and learn about different cultures.
3. Symbolic Rituals - Room for innovation in creating new rituals that hold symbolic meaning and can be incorporated into cultural celebrations.
Industry Implications
1. Event Planning - Opportunity for event planning companies to create specialized packages and services for cultural celebrations.
2. Tourism - Potential for the tourism industry to offer cultural heritage tours and experiences that allow travelers to participate in traditional celebrations.
3. Art and Craft - Room for artistic or craft-based businesses to create and sell traditional dolls or other cultural artifacts related to celebrations.