The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

CUSTOM

CUSTOM IN JAPAN TO CELEBRATE "GIRLS' DAY" OR DOLL FESTIVAL ON
MARCH 3. THE HISTORY OF THIS CUSTOM EMBRACES JAPANESE FOLKLORE,
HISTORY, CUSTOM, ETC. IT STEMS FROM THE BEGINNINGS OF SHINTOISM AT
WHICH TIME A SINFUL PERSON SOUGHT OUT PURIFICATION BY BATHING IN A
STREAM. AS TIME PASSED, HOWEVER, THE WEALTHY AND LAZY BEGAN TO
SEND SUBSTITUTES. LATER STILL, INANIMATE OBJECTS (RELATED TO HUMAN
LIFE) WERE USED AND FINALLY, TWO PAPER DOLLS, SYMBOLIZING THE MALE
AND FEMALE MEMBERS OF AN ENTIRE FAMILY, WERE ADOPTED UNIVERSALLY AS
THE SYMBOL OF PURIFICATION. THEY ARE KNOWN AS "KAMIBINA" AND ARE
ALWAYS DISPLAYED WITH THE TRADITIONAL DOLLS SET EVERY JAPANESE
GIRL OWNS, AND WHICH SHE ALWAYS TAKES WITH HER WHEN SHE MARRIES.
MARCH 3 WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE IT SYMBOLIZED THE TRANSITION FROM
WINTER'S DARKNESS OF SIN INTO THE LIGHT AND HOPE OF SPRING.
THE DOLLS REPRESENT THE IMPERIAL COURT: EMPEROR AND EMPRESS,
COURT LADIES, MUSICIANS, VARIOUS ATTENDANTS, AND MINIATURE
FURNITURE AND HOUSEHOLD IMPLEMENTS. THEY ARE ARRANGED IN
HIERARCHICAL ORDER, ON 5 SHELVES COVERED WITH RED (FESTIVAL
COLOR) CLOTH. FOOD OFFERINGS ARE PLACED ON THE LOWEST SHELF.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT CELEBRATED THE ABOVE WHILE GROWING UP IN JAPAN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Date learned: 08-01-1964