Mar 03, 2019
Girls’ Day 2019
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today Japan celebrates “Girls Day” or Hinamatsuri (雛祭り), a springtime tradition also known as “Doll’s Festival.” This is a day to wish for the health and happiness of young girls, traditionally marked with a set of dolls and serving special foods such as chirashi sushi.
Many Japanese families begin collecting a set of dolls as soon as a girl is born. Starting in February, the dolls are dressed in elaborate costumes and displayed on special red-carpeted platforms with golden backdrops and various accessories. The tiny figurines represent the emperor, empress, musicians, and court attendants dating back to Japan’s Heian period (794–1185). Some doll sets are especially luxurious, becoming family heirlooms passed from generation to generation.
Another name for the festival is Momo no Sekku (桃の節句), the festival of peach blossoms. An offering of sweet fermented rice wine—shirozake or nonalcoholic amazake—is placed on the doll stand along with peach blossoms and hishi mochi, diamond-shaped rice cakes colored white, green, and pink to represent snow, new growth, and peach flowers.
After the festival, many families set paper dolls sailing down rivers as a way to rid their daughters of bad luck, a practice called Nagashibina (literally “doll floating”) that dates back many centuries. On the third day of the third month on the old lunar calendar, small dolls made of straw are floated out to sea as a way of carrying “pollution” away from beloved daughters.
Happy Hinamatsuri 2019!
Where this Doodle appeared
Discover more Doodles by color
Did you know?
The very first Doodle launched as an “out of office” message of sorts when company founders Larry and Sergey went on vacation.
Learn MoreDid you know?
The first Doodle launched in 1998, before Google was officially incorporated.
Learn MoreDid you know?
The first same day Doodle was created in 2009 when water was discovered on the moon.
Learn MoreDid you know?
Doodle for Google student contest winners have gone on to become professional artists
Learn MoreDid you know?
The time it takes from sketch to launch for a Doodle varies widely: some have taken years and others just a few hours!
Learn MoreDid you know?
Hundreds of Doodles launch around the world every year. Often, several different ones are live in different places at the same time!
Learn MoreDid you know?
Our most frequently recurring Doodle character is Momo the Cat - named after a real-life team pet!
Learn More