3rd of March is 『HINAMATSURI』 which is the girls' day. HINAMATSURI is the Japanese event wishing for girls to grow up healthy and being well. Its origins are 『HIINA ASOBI』 the children's play amongst girls in HEIAN era which is a doll play with paper made dolls, and the custom to make a plant made doll, stroke your body, and set the plant made doll into a river to remove defilement, got combined. Now days, we enjoy the event by displaying 『HINA-NINGYO』 the HINA dolls, and 『HISHI-MOCHI』 the HISHI rice cake, as well as eating 『CHIRASHI-ZUSHI』 the CHIRASHI sushi.

3rd of March is the first snakes' day in March and the day is also called 『MOMO-NO-SEKKU』 meaning the seasonal festival of peaches. Originally it was the day for a purification ceremony to remove defilement. However, in EDO era the event was set as the girls' day as there is the boys' day in May.

Today's HINAMATSURI is known as displaying HINA-NINGYO and HISHI-MOCHI, and eating CHIRASHI-ZUSHI. Displaying HINA-NINGYO is to wish for the girl in the house to grow up healthy and find a nice partner. It also has the meaning of an amulet as a purification ritual. Therefore, it is recommended to provide a set of HINA-NINGYO to each girl even there are sisters and a set which a mother had in her childhood. Also, there is a custom to clear up the set as soon as the event finishes to prevent the girl to miss a chance to get married. People believe that the girl will not be able to get married early if you do not clear up the set soon enough.

『HISHI-MOCHI』 the rice cake is shaped in a nut of a water caltrop. Water caltrops are known to have strong vitality and making HISHI-MOCHI shaped as the plant is to wish for a long life and prosperity of descendance. HISHI-MOCHI can be baked, stewed, and fried. The fried HISHI-MOCHI is called 『HINA-ARARE』. Today we often buy HINA-ARARE instead of cooking HISHI-MOCHI to HINA-ARARE.

HINA-ARARE is 3 colored, pink, white, and green which is same as HISHI-MOCHI. There are various theories, however pink means a charm against evil spirits, white means health, and green means purity.

There is a custom in Japan to eat sushi on an occasion for a celebration since old days. 『CHIRASHI-ZUSHI』 the sushi is one of the most luxurious sushi menus and it was perfect to celebrate HINAMATSURI. Its each ingredient has a meaning such as, prawns are to live long until becoming hunch over, and lotus roots are to see so much farther to have no worries in the life.

There are many events in Japan celebrated throughout a year. And every one of them has a specific meaning and a reason as well as how the ceremony is conducted and its products and ingredients used also have meanings. This is one of the reasons making Japanese culture beautiful.

Reference: PIKOTON Kids event package
https://workshop.picoton.com/wp_news/2025/01/22/what-is-hinamatsuri/