What is momo no sekku ?

1.What is Momo no sekku ? What is Hina Matsuri ?

The first sekku (seasonal festival) after ababy was born is called hatsu zekku and the Hina Matsuri(Doll's Festival)for a bagy girl is on this day and officia- lly called joshin no sekku. This is because "shi"means serpent and March 3rd is the first serpent day according to the custom inherited from ancient China. Nowadays it is popularly called Momo no sekku (Peach Festival) because this is the season that the peach flower is in bloom and suitable to celebrate sekku.

2.Why hina ningyo are set out ?

　 The present Hina Matsuri comes from the combination of a doll (calls "hiina") play during the Heian period (798-1185) and nagashibina which throw simple dolls made by paper and straw (called"hinagata") into the ocean or a river after transferring bad luck and misfortune to them. Therefore setting out hina ningyo is a familly's wish that a girl will grow soundly to be a healthy and caring woman.In other words,it is a familly's warm wish that the hina ningyo will be a substitution in preventing disaster to the child,and to obtain happiness in life ,such as getting married.

3.Who should buy hina ningyo ?

　There is an old history that the hina ningyo was presented to a husband's familly as a sample of the bride's outfit, so they are often presented by the parents of the bride.However,currently for an adorable child,there is a practice where both famillies purchase the hina ningyo and share half the cost.It is custom that mat- chmaker,relatives and friends present warabe ningyo,gosho ningyo or ichimatsu ningyo(one or two dolls with a child's face)in display cases to a baby.

4.From when to should hina ningyo be set out ?

The hina ningyo should be set out between the first day of spring in the tradi- tional Japanese calender(February 4)and the middle of February,and at the latest a week before this sekku.When considering the original meaning of sekku as a mark- ing event of the season,once the sekku is over,the hina ningyo should be put away at the earliest day with good and dry weather and by middle of March at the latest.