Happy Girls Day!

March 3rd is a holiday called Japanese Girl's Day, sometimes called hina matsuri (hina doll festival) or momo no sekku (peach flower festival). This holiday is the day to pray for girls' happiness and health.

Sami learned all about the day yesterday at school. Of course hearing it from a 5-year-old is sometimes confusing, so I did a little research of my own.

A set of hina dolls wearing ancient kimono is displayed at homes of Japanese girls. An ohina-sama doll (the Empress) and an odairi-sama doll (the Emperor) are set on the top shelf. Then, sannin-kanjo dolls (three court women), gonin bayashi dolls (five court musicians), and more dolls, and hina-arare (rice crackers) and hishi-mochi (diamond shaped rice cakes) are placed on other shelves. The day includes eating special food, such as chirashi-zushi (colorful sushi), clam soup and sakura mochi (sweet rice cakes).

Imagine my surprise when yesterday the Pastor's wife brought a little treat for the girls to celebrate this holiday.


These are made of what is similar to Moccina, a jelly-like rice cake with fresh fruit inside. But they are so cute I am not sure we can ever eat them.

I can't wait to see what the next holiday holds.