Chiba Nanohana News (February 2023)

 Index

I. Festivals and Events

I. Festivals and Events

1) Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day) in Chiba

Hinamatsuri, also known as Girls’ Day or the Doll Festival, is a traditional Japanese festival celebrated on March 3 every year during which families pray for the health and happiness of their young girls. Special, ornate “hina” dolls, called “hina-ningyo” or “ohinasama” in Japanese, are displayed on tiered, red-carpeted platforms as decoration before and during the festival. The dolls are clothed in historic court dress from the Heian period and represent the Emperor and Empress along with their court attendants.

1. The 13^th Nakayama Hinamatsuri／Nakayama Hokekyo-ji Temple〔Ichikawa City〕

From Shimosa-Nakayama Station to the Nakayama shopping district, Nakayama Hokekyo-ji Temple, Okunoin, and Wakamiya: the whole area brims with the festive mood of the Nakayama Hinamatsuri. During the festival, there are all sorts of things to see and experience, including hina doll displays in each shop, a word scavenger hunt, hina doll tours, live music concerts, and tea ceremony events. Why not take a stroll through the streets of Nakayama while admiring the hina dolls?

• Duration: Saturday, February 18 to Sunday, March 5
• Location: Nakayama Hokekyo-ji Temple／2-10-1 Nakayama, Ichikawa City
                 Okunoin／2-21-1 Wakamiya, Ichikawa City
• Access:【By Train】 Take the JR Sobu Line to Shimosa-Nakayama Station or the Keisei Line to Keisei-Nakayama Station
• Information: Ichikawa Kanko Bussan Information Center TEL: 047-335-1711

2. Sawara Hina Meguri／Participating shops and merchant houses in Sawara〔Katori City〕

The townscape of Sawara is reminiscent of an Edo period merchant town, and about 40 of its historical shops and merchant houses are collectively known as the “Sawara Machigurumi Hakubutsukan” (Sawara Neighborhood Museum). Visitors have the chance to see merchant families’ prized treasures during the “Sawara Hina Meguri” (Sawara Hina Doll Tour) exhibition. During the exhibition period, participating locations display their cherished hina dolls that have been handed down for generations, including antique dolls from the Edo and Meiji periods, dolls made of Japanese paper known as “washi,” and dolls housed in “goten-kazari,” decorative buildings modeled after the imperial palace. The Sawara Historic Town Visitor Center and other nearby facilities also have hina dolls set out for viewing, creating a sentimental ambience throughout town. Come and enjoy an experience that is unique to this season!

【Related Event】The Sawara Hinabune Spring Festival’s Sawara hina boat parade on Sunday, March 12
※Two scheduled operating times: 11:00 am, 2:00 pm

• Duration: Sunday, February 5 to Sunday, March 26
• Location: Participating shops and merchant houses in Sawara／Sawara, Katori City
• Access:【By Train】Take the JR Narita Line to Sawara Station and walk 5 to 10 minutes
• Information： Sawara Okamisan Association TEL: 080-5455-7577

3. 2023 Katsuura Big Hinamatsuri／Tomisaki Shrine and surrounding locations 〔Katsuura City〕

With hina dolls decorating various places around the city, the entirety of Katsuura comes alive for Hinamatsuri. The festival began when about 7,000 hina dolls were adopted from Katsuura Town in Tokushima Prefecture, thanks to the connection between the two cities through the National Katsuura Network.

＜Locations＞

（１）Tomisaki Shrine／1 Hamakatsuura, Katsuura City

About 1,800 hina dolls adorn the 60 stone steps of the shrine every morning (during rainy weather, a panel will be displayed).

（２）Areas in and around the Katsuura Central Shopping District

Stores in the Katsuura central shopping district will have their own creatively designed hina dolls out for viewing. In addition, there will be hina doll platforms set up with about 600 dolls in front of the Kakuoji Temple gate and about 1,000 dolls by the Tona intersection near Katsuura Station.

• Duration: Friday, February 24 to Friday, March 3
• Location: Tomisaki Shrine／1 Hamakatsuura, Katsuura City (and surrounding locations)
• Access: 【By Train】Take the JR Sotobo Line to Katsuura Station and walk 10 minutes 
• Information: Big Hinamatsuri Executive Committee（part of the Katsuura City Commerce and Tourism Division）TEL: 0470-73-6641

4. The 17^th Onjuku Machikado Tsurushi-bina Meguri／Moon Desert Museum・Handmade Craft Storehouse・About 20 participating shops〔Onjuku Town〕

During the Onjuku “Machikado Tsurushi-bina Meguri” (Street Corner Hanging Hina Doll Tour), hanging hina doll ornaments called “tsurushi-bina” that were made stitch-by-stitch with care will be showcased at locations such as the “Tsuki no Sabaku Kinenkan” (Moon Desert Museum), “Tezukuri no Kura” (Handmade Craft Storehouse), and about 20 shops in town. This year’s theme is “reunion.” The Moon Desert Museum will have tsurushi-bina both for sale and on display, and the Handmade Craft Storehouse will be decorated with the theme of “rabbit in the storehouse (four seasons)” in reference to the Year of the Rabbit, this year’s zodiac sign. Starting Friday, February 24, the festival will be held jointly with Katsuura Big Hinamatsuri! There will be a shuttle bus between Onjuku and Katsuura on Saturday, February 25, and Sunday, February 26. Visitors can enjoy the Hinamatsuri spirit throughout the entire day!

• Duration: Saturday, February 11 (national holiday) to Friday, March 3
• Location: Moon Desert Museum・Handmade Craft Storehouse・About 20 participating shops／Onjuku Town, Isumi District
• Access:【By Train】Take the JR Sotobo Line to Onjuku Station and walk about 10 minutes
• Information: Onjuku Chamber of Commerce TEL: 0470-68-2818

 

I. Festivals and Events