Doll Festival and the Japanese Dolls

Japanese families celebrate the Doll Festival on March 3, a day dedicated to praying for the health and happiness of their daughters. The festival has its roots in the ancient ritual of transferring sin or impurity to a doll and washing it away in water. On this day, families display elaborate dolls called hina in their homes, arranging them into miniature recreations of aristocratic wedding ceremonies. These hina dolls became popular during the Edo period (1603–1868) among a wide range of social classes. This exhibition presents historic dolls from the Edo period and beyond, highlighting the Japanese tradition of appreciating charming objects and their painstaking artistry behind the intricate designs.