Hina matsuri
Today is Hinamatsuri, Girls' Festival. Every year on 3 March, dolls are displayed to wish for the healthy growth and happy marriage of girls. It was believed that seasonal milestones were prone to evil spirits, so the festival was held to ward off evil spirits and pray for happiness. Today, fewer and fewer households decorate their homes, but in the lobby of the Hotel Okura next to Kyoto City Hall, a seven-tiered decoration of 15 dolls is displayed, attracting passers-by to stop and look. The topmost represents the Emperor and Empress. It is a prayer that, like the Emperor and Empress,…