Hina Matsuri is a festival for girls, celebrated in homes throughout Japan since the Edo Period (1600-1867). A set of 10 to 15 dolls (or hina), usually family heirlooms from various generations, is displayed on a stand covered with red cloth. Dressed in elaborate costumes, the dolls represent the emperor and empress, court ministers and servants. In parts of Tottori Prefecture, girls make boats of straw, place a pair of paper dolls in them and set them afloat on the Mochigase River. This custom dates back to ancient times when dolls were used as talismans to exorcize evil. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary