Japan's Hina Matsuri Festival

crayola supplies

Fine Line Markers
Markers
Model Magic®
No-Run School Glue
Glitter Glue
Pointed Tip Scissors

household supplies

recycled boxes
recycled file folders
fabric scraps

Why?

Celebrate Hina Matsuri Day along with Japanese girls on March 3. This elaborate, traditional doll display will captivate imaginations!

Steps

1. In Japan March 3rd is Girls' Day, Hina Matsuri. Hina means small doll and Matsuri means festival in Japanese. It is a holiday that celebrates traditional female values.
2. On this day, girls display their special doll collections. These miniature dolls are elaborately dressed, decorative figures. They are exhibited on red cloth in tiered boxes or on a staircase. The dolls are replicas of the ancient Heian royal court in Kyoto. The emperor and empress sit at the top of the tiers with dolls on each level below representing members of their court.
3. Often these ceremonial dolls are passed down from mother to daughter. On Hina Matsuri Day, girls dress in kimonos and visit friends' doll displays. They drink tea and eat pink rice cakes wrapped in leaves. Find photographs of these displays, as well as traditional kimonos and hairstyles to use as a reference.
4. To make your Hina-Ningyo display, glue at least three recycled boxes on top of one another with Crayola® School Glue to form steps. The open sides of the boxes face out. If the boxes have decorative sides, such as tissue boxes, let them show, or decorate plain boxes with Crayola Markers. Leave room on each level for dolls. Dry.
5. With Crayola Scissors, cut a strip of red cloth to run down the center of the tiered display, covering the box openings with fabric. Glue to boxes. Dry.
6. Create one doll for each box in your display. Shape doll heads, neck, and bodies with white Crayola Model Magic. Add facial features and hair in traditional styles with Crayola Fine Tip Markers or bits of Model Magic. Make separate arms with hands using the modeling compound.
7. Cut kimonos from recycled file folders, using the fold line for the shoulders. Cut Vs in the kimonos for dolls' heads to go through. Clothing will hang like a poncho. Look at pictures of traditional clothing and dolls for fabric ideas. Decorate kimonos with Crayola Markers. Add Crayola Glitter Glue for extra adornment. Dry.
8. Put kimonos over dolls' heads. Glue arms with hands into kimonos. Place dressed dolls on tiered display. Secure with glue.

adaptations

The Hina Matsuri holiday is also called Peach Day. Peach blossoms are associated with young girls in Japan. Research what the flowers of peach trees look like. Why do you think they are connected with young girls? From tissue paper, make peach blossoms to festoon your Hina Matsuri display. Learn about what other plants are associated with Japan.

The Shintoists (a nature-focused religion practiced in Japan) have Nagashi-Bina on this day. Decorative dolls are gathered together and put in boats. The boats are cast out to sea and with them, ill fortune is carried away. In what other countries are there similar rituals?

Explore Boys' Day or Children's Day in Japan and Korea on May 5. What things are similar and what differs from Girls' Day?

benefits

Students research the traditional Japanese holiday of Hina Matsuri, Girls' Day.

Children find information about, and pictures of, traditional Japanese kimonos and hair styles.

Students use problem-solving skills to create a complex, mixed-media display of decorative dolls.

grades

Grades 4 to 6

subjects

Social Studies
Visual Arts

time

Multiple Sessions

curriculum standards links

US: Research U.S. Standards
UK: Research UK Standards
Canada: Research Canada Standards

safety guidelines

Glitter Glue— WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—Small parts. Not for children under 3 years. Not for use on skin.

Crayola Modeling Materials including Crayola Model Magic®, and Model Magic Fusion™, Crayola Air-Dry Clay, and Crayola Dough—

Keep away from open flames. Do not use to make candleholders, hot plates, trivets, or other similar objects that will be used or placed near fire and other heat sources.
Do not put in an oven, microwave, or kiln.
Do not make into vessels/containers that will hold unpackaged food.
The use of modeling material to make items that look like food is discouraged for children younger than age 5 to avoid their confusion with real food.
Unless sealed with a water-resistant glaze, do not make projects exposed to or immersed in water, such as boats or outdoor bird feeders. They would disintegrate when exposed to moisture.
Crayola Dough—contains gluten (wheat flour) as an ingredient.
Crayola Air-Dry Clay, Crayola Model Magic and Model Magic Fusion are gluten-free. However, they are produced on the same machinery as Crayola Dough which does contain gluten. Although the machines are cleaned prior to the start of each production run, there is a slight possibility that trace amounts of gluten from Crayola Dough may be present in the other modeling compound products. For information regarding specific ingredients or allergic concerns, please call our Consumer Affairs department at 1-800-272-9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Scissors—ATTENTION: The cutting edges of scissors are sharp and care should be taken whenever cutting or handling. Blunt-tip scissors should be used only by children 4 years and older. Pointed-tip scissors should be used only by children 6 years and older.