Do you know what day it is today?
Today is “ひな祭り/Hinamatsuri”.
It’s a traditional day to celebrate girls!
What is ひな祭り？
ひな祭り is held every year on March 3.
It is an event to pray for the growth and health of girls.
What do we do?
First, dolls called “ひな人形/Hina-ningyou” are displayed at home from about two weeks before the day of the ひな祭り.
There are many types of dolls, from cheap to expensive, but the more expensive dolls have more tiers.
Then, as soon as the ひな祭り is over, they are put away.
If not, it is said that the bridegroom’s marriage will be delayed…
What do we eat?
And we eat colorful sweets called “ひなあられ/Hina-arare”.
The four colors of ひなあられ are to represent the four seasons.
They are sweet and delicious.
It is usually available at supermarkets and convenience stores during this season.
We also eat colorful sushi called “ちらし寿司/chirashizushi”.
We made ちらし寿司 on the other! It’s pretty, isn’t it?
Tastes just as good as sushi!
And with the meal, we drink a non-alcoholic drink called “甘酒/amazake”.
Even kids can drink it!
They drink it to ward off bad luck and pray for long life.
So, ひな祭り is a day of celebration for girls, and it is pretty and pink.
It is an important day for families to get together and eat delicious food.
I hope you all enjoy this Japanese event if you ever come to Japan!
コメント