HINAMATSURI
(GIRL'S FESTIVAL)
The "Girl's Festival" on March 3, also known as the "Peach Tree
Festival," is held to pray for the happiness of female children.
On this day, households with young girls display beautiful doll
sets, drink shiro-zake (white sake brewed from sake and rice malt),
and offer hishi-mochi lozenge-shaped rice cakes).
Nagashi-bina
(Dolls Adrift)
This refers to the mounting tiny dolls in miniature boats, which
are then set adrift down a river. It is believed that dolls
will carry away all misery and hardship on their trip.