Looking for suggestions to celebrate Girls’ Day?
Visit the Japanese American Museum of San Jose and learn about the beautiful dolls on display from March 3 - 20, 2022. You will see full sets representing a Heian period wedding including the musicians, court ladies, and helpers, as well as sets with just two dolls representing the emperor and empress. Many of the dolls are on loan for this display, including a set of dolls crocheted while in the internment camp.
Pam Yoshida has organized the exhibit at JAMsj as well as the dolls displayed in shop windows around Japantown including two dolls modeling protective masks. How many can you find?
‘Pandemic’ HIna Dolls
Girls’ Day dolls come in all shapes and sizes. The first Girls’ Day dolls I purchased were made out of toothpicks!
Hina Dolls made out of toothpicks
In past years JAMsj has enjoyed hosting a craft day to commemorate Girl’s Day, but Omicron messed with this year’s plans. Try making your own dolls with this simple Girl’s Day craft project at home. Print out these 2 pages - Dias and Dolls - and follow the instructions in this video. Many thanks to the Cherry Blossom Court of Northern California for their help in creating the video.
Eating is always a great way to celebrate Girls’ Day.
Hina arare
Start Girls’ Day with an Americanized take on hina arare, the puffed rice snack coated with sugar. Add hina arare to your cereal bowl and cover with milk. The sugar coating makes the last sip of milk so deliciously sweet!
Sakura mochi continues the tradition of Girls’ Day snacks that are pink, green and white. And, yes, you should eat the leaf! The salty taste of the cherry leaf is the perfect complement to the sweet bean paste filling.
Feeling overwhelmed by your busy day and no time to change into a kimono? Try this easy alternative. Instant Kimono - #GirlsDayJAMSJ
End the day with Chirashi Zushi. ‘Chirashi’ roughly translates as scattered. My favorite chirashi zushi has anago or unagi mixed into the rice, but nothing says ‘girl’ like pink sushi! So make sure the dembu is generously sprinkled or ‘scattered’ on top.
Chirashi Zushi
There is a saying in Japan that a delay in putting away the ohina dolls can lead to a delay in marriage, but I’m not familiar with any saying that looking at ohina dolls, making crafts or eating Girls’ Day treats has repercussions. So whenever and however you celebrate, may it be an auspicious and delicious day!
By Lynda Gomi and Miranda Aochi