today is one of the five seasonal holidays in Japan called Hinamatsuri or Girl's Day.
Hina Matsuri is an occasion to pray for young girl's growth and happiness. Most homes with girls display dolls for this Doll's Festival and dedicate to them peach blossoms. Hina Matsuri is also called Momo no Sekku meaning festival of peach. Hina is an old word meaning doll and matsuri is festival. Momo means peach and sekku is another word for festival. so get out your dolls and play with them! or at least set them up in a display.
this is something i found in a local newspaper called Sushi and Sake:
1. Jinjitsu, January 7th. a rice porridge is eaten on the seventh day to insure good health for the New Year.
2. Joushi, March 3. The Girl's Festival; the Peach Festival
3. Tango, May 5. The Boy's Festival; the Iris Festival
4. Shichiseki, July 7. The Bamboo Grass Festival
5. Chouyou, September 9. The Chrysanthemum Festival; chrysanthemum flowers are offered to ward off evil.
it looks like it is going to be a beautifully sunny Hinamatsuri Day here in LA. if i can get to my local Japanese market, i will buy some sakura mochi to eat.
