March 3rd is called HINA-MATSURI or Girls’ Festival. Families with girls display ohinasama or hina-dolls in their homes and wish for the girls to grow up healthy.
Shizuoka has many factories for making hina-dolls. Each doll part is made individually in different areas. Heads are not made in Shizuoka but in another prefecture. However, body parts and miniature furniture are mainly made in Shizuoka.
On the Izu Peninsula, hanging hina-dolls are traditional. These hanging hina-dolls are now getting popular in other places too. It is not difficult to make them. Please try to make them if you like.
Every year new hina-dolls called kawari-bina dolls are made. These dolls are connected with that year’s big news event or highlights.