Hina ningyō (Hina dolls) are displayed in homes where there are daughters on the third day of the third month each year to celebrate Girls’ Day. They are often a family gift to wish for health and prosperity for the girls’ futures.
The dolls represent a Heian period (794 – 1185 CE) wedding scene, with high-ranking women dressed in formal jūni-hitoe (lit. ‘12-layers’) kimono. With a different colour for each kimono layer, colour combinations (kasane) appear around the hems including the neck and sleeves.
Make your own Hina doll display and discover more about this Girls’ Day tradition by downloading Japan House London’s worksheet. The worksheet includes a range of illustrations relating to the display of Hina dolls which can be coloured in, cut out and become a display itself.
We encourage all people who download the worksheet to share their finished cards on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter using #japanhouselondon and tag us using @japanhouseldn.