On March 3, in Japan, takes place the Hina Matsuri ひな祭り, the “Dolls Festival”.
On this day, girls have the place of honor in Japan (so they are not jealous on May 5, the “Children’s Day”, dedicated to the boys!).
Hina Matsuri dolls
Little japanese girls receive when they are young, beautiful dolls called hina ningyô. These dolls are however not meant to play with (which is probably very disappointing for the girls): they represent the emperor and empress on the day of their bridal, and they are carefully placed on a shelf covered with red felt. Several days before the Hina Matsuri, the dolls are taken out from their box (they are usually stored in a big closet) and exposed until the day of the festival.
There is a common belief, that if the hina dolls are not promptly put back after the festival, the girl will need more time to find a husband!
The face of a Hina doll is its soul
Nowadays, many families only keep miniature dolls, due to the lack of space.