Japanese families
have traditionally used dolls to decorate
their homes ahead of March 3 Girls' Day celebrations.
Known as the hina
matsuri (doll festival) it's a time to pray for the health and welfare of the nation's daughters. If
you don't have hina dolls in your home, don't worry. You can still take part
in the tradition if you head out to Konosu, Saitama Prefecture.
Konosu, which has a
history as a doll-making center that dates back to the Edo Period
(1603-1867), vows to impress
visitors with its gigantic set
made up of a 31-step, red-carpeted staircase decked with 1,807 traditional ornamental dolls. The 7-meter-tall
pyramid, placed inside City Hall, includes figures of the Emperor, Empress,
servants and musicians, among others. While this would no doubt be the
biggest draw of the annual Konosu
Bikkuri Hina-matsuri, there's more. In the city, 7,000 to 8,000 dolls are
currently on show at storefronts, schools and public halls.
During the festival,
which runs through Saturday, an outdoor market of local delicacies, such as
the wide kawahaba udon noodles, will be held.
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VOCABULARY
1.
Decorate
(v) - to make something look more attractive by putting something pretty on it
2.
Welfare
(n) - someone's welfare is their health and happiness
3.
Vows
(v) - to make a serious promise to yourself or someone else [= promise]
4.
Gigantic
(adj.) - extremely big [= huge]
5.
Deck
(v) - to decorate something with flowers, flags etc
6.
Draw
(v) - to make someone notice something
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1.
Do you have dolls at home? How many? How much
does it cost?
2.
Why do you have this festival? Discuss about its history.
3.
Share your hina matsuri experience.
4.
Talk about other festivals celebrated for boys
and girls in your country.
5.
Name special food or activities you usually do
during these festivals.
