wedding

The Hina dolls displayed for the Doll Festival are said to model the imperial wedding ceremony of the emperor and empress at the Heian-period court. The male doll (Odairi-sama) and the female doll (Ohina-sama) represent Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress, while the dolls such as the three court ladies and the five musicians represent the attendants and performers who served at that wedding.

One’s marriage is delayed

It has long been said that if you put away Hina dolls late, your marriage will be delayed. This is believed to stem from ideas such as a disciplinary lesson—that someone who can’t tidy up properly won’t make a good bride—and the notion that, since the dolls take on misfortune, it’s better to put them away quickly and keep it at a distance.

Friend

At graduation ceremonies, people go to get the second button from someone they like, or give theirs to someone, right? That’s because it’s the closest to the heart and is said to mean “to capture someone’s heart.” The second button is well known, but many people might not know that the third button—controversial as it has been—means “friend.” In fact, the first button also carries the meaning of “oneself.”

heart

There are various theories about the origin of the shape of hishi-mochi, and one of them says it represents a “heart.” The reasons for this also vary, which is surprising, isn’t it? By the way, the pink in hishi-mochi is said to ward off evil, white signifies purity, and green represents health.

Insects Awaken

The correct answer was “Keichitsu.” Keichitsu falls around March 5th according to the fixed solar term method. “Kei” means “to open,” and “chitsu” refers to insects hibernating in the earth, expressing the feeling of spring when the ground warms and living creatures begin to be active.

Aquamarine

The birthstone for March is aquamarine. As its Latin name means “sea water,” this gemstone is characterized by a beautiful ocean-like blue. It is also said to bring calm and tranquility.

the first strong south wind that blows in spring

“Haruichiban” refers to the first strong southerly wind among a series of warm, strong south winds that blow across the Japanese archipelago between Risshun (the beginning of spring) and the Vernal Equinox. Arriving after the severe cold of winter, the haruichiban is also known as a seasonal hallmark that symbolizes the nearness of spring.

botamochi (sweet rice cake with red bean paste)

Botamochi are well known as sweets offered during the spring equinoctial week (Ohigan). Botamochi are a type of traditional confectionery made with glutinous rice. The offering during the spring Ohigan is called botamochi, while the one offered during the autumn Ohigan is called ohagi. This difference in naming comes from the fact that peonies (botan) bloom in spring, and bush clover (hagi) blooms in autumn.

Pink, white, green

Hishimochi is divided into three layers of color from top to bottom—pink, white, and green—where pink represents peach blossoms, white signifies snow, and green evokes young grass. These colors symbolize the changing of the seasons and embody the celebration of the arrival of spring.

Japan

White Day originated in the 1970s when a Japanese confectionery company proposed it as part of a promotional campaign. The custom of men who received chocolate on Valentine’s Day giving white-colored sweets or gifts in return on March 14, one month later, is unique to Japan and later spread to other countries.