This weekend, it's Hina Matsuri !
A little history:
The hina kazari, dolls' platform (hinadan):
It is covered with red felt and often decorated with peach (momo in Japanese) blossoms, which bloom in this season in Japan. That's why the festival is also called "Momo no sekku (festival of peach blossoms)". The imperial couple (odairisama and ohinasama) are placed on the highest step, then all the servants of the court follow lower steps. Some dolls are very precious objects and are passed from generation to generation like a treasure. During the Edo period, a period of peace, artisans making these beautiful dolls multiplied and gained popularity. The most famous are located in Saitama, in an area called Iwatsuki and nicknamed "the village of dolls".
Nowadays, for more convenience, the hina kazari is often reduced to the only imperial couple, but there are still very impressive collections.
The typical dish of Hina Matsuri:
The food served at the Hina Matsuri is traditionally Chirashizushi and Osuimono, clam broth with boiled field mustard.
Chirashizushi is a dish of rice accomodated with various vegetables and raw fish. Each ingredient has a specific meaning for centuries. Shiitake, for example, is a sign of vitality, shrimp is a sign of longevity, etc.
The two main snacks served at the Hina Matsuri:
Hina arare, rice crackers coloured in 3 or 4 different colours. Eating a hina arare of each color is a sign of good fortune.
And hishi mochi, a diamond-shaped rice cake made of three layers in different colours. Green is green shot stands for the health, white is snow stands for the purification, and pink is cherry blossom stands for the protection from evil.
People traditionally drank shirozake (literally white alcohol), which had the virtue of warding off misfortunes, but it has nowadays been replaced by amazake, a white and thick beverage that contains only one negligible amount of alcohol, so that children can drink too.
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