Hinamatsuri

Today, 3 March, is Hinamatsuri (ひな祭り). It's also called Momo no Sekku (桃の節句, literally the Season of Peaches).

Parents hope their girls to grow healthily and to be happy.

In the past, we had Girls' Day on 3 March and Boys' Day on 5 May. After the Pacific War, 5 May became Children's Day: Girls' Day remained as a custom, though.

In families which have girls, they usually display a set of ornamental dolls called Hina-Ningyo (雛人形). The dolls show Emperor, Empress and ministers in the Imperial Palace in Heian Period.



A lot of people know a popular Hinamatsuri song:

Japanese:
明かりをつけましょ　ぼんぼりに
お花をあげましょ　桃の花
五人囃子の笛太鼓
今日は楽しい雛祭り

romaji:
akari wo tsukemasho bonbori ni
ohana wo agemasho momo no hana
gonin bayashi no fue daiko
kyo wa tanoshii hinamatsuri

English:
Let's light small lamps with a paper shade
Let's display flowers of peaches
The five players' performance of Japanese flutes and drums
It is a happy Hinamatsuri today

The above is the first verse of the song.