Girl's Festival, 3rd in March (Momo no sekku)

Have you seen the beautiful Hina-dolls? We have a party to celebrate for girl's health and happiness on the 3rd of March ,sitting in front of these Hina-dolls. We drink Shiro-sake(white and muddy Japanese Sake). We eat special meals with our daughters. Beside the Hina-dolls ,we arrange the peach flowers in the vase. So Girl's Festival is called "Momo no Sekku", in the season of the paech tree.

　This is a doll festival for girls . It is customary for the grandparents to buy a hina doll set for their first granddaughter and display it at home to celebrate their granddaughter's life and wish for her happiness. The hina doll set, representing the emperor, empress, attendants and musicians in ancient court dress, set on tiered platforms, appears only on this occasion. Children sing a Hinamatsuri song and eat hishimochi (diamond-shaped rice cakes) and other favourite dishes, while adults celebrate with shirozake (white liquor made with rice malt and sake).　

There are five Sekku in a year in Japan. "Sekku" is the seasonal festival. These five Sekku are introduced from the ancient China to Japan; the 7th in January, the 3rd in March(Girl's Festival), the 5th in　May (Boy's Festival), the 7th night in July (the festival of Vega), and the 9th in September　(the festival of chrysanthemum).　　

The origin of Hina-dolls of these days was among the upper class family in the Heian period about one thousand years ago.　There was another custom among the common people. They made Hina-dolls with papers ,or leaves of persimmon　, or cucumbers. They had a custom to float them away into the river or the sea. It is called "Nagasi-Bina", has been continued in Shimane prefecture now. Paper dolls were made to represent a person and that person's ill-fortunes were wished on to the doll, which was taken floated down the river, Hinamatsuri itself only became widespread after the Meiji Period (1868-1912) when the hina dolls began to be sold widely.　

White Day ,14th in March

Boys and gentlemen, do you know the White Day ? Yes , you know the St.Valentine's Day, don't you? You got a lot of chocolates from your girlfriends . Or you got a hearty present from your lover. So you have to give your present to them on this White Day. I hear this is the custom only in Japan , and the sweet confectionary made this custom.

Girls and women are wating your sincerely present. Don't forget this day!
Their favorite presents are ring or other jewels, bag, clothes, wine ,or underwears. They may like to have a dinner with you. Please have a nice time !
Do you remember "giri choco"? To your girlfriend having given "giri choco" to you, you had better give some presents, for example, marshmallows .

Ume blossoms

In this season, we can beautiful ume blossoms everywhere in Japan. Ume tree is a Japanese apricot tree. Its flowers are as beautiful as the cherry blossoms, and they show the begininng of Spring. Many old poets have described about Ume blossoms since 1200 years before.

There are a lot of Ume gardens . In Osaka, the Ume garden of Osaka-jo Castle is very famous for its number and its beautiful flowers. Many people visit there every year, and enjoy various kinds of Ume blossoms. I went to the small Ume garden of Tajihaya-hime Shrine near my house. There were a lot of people, walking , eating lunch, singing, or sleeping under the trees. There were some people , painting Ume blossoms on their canvases. I had a nice time then.

Momo blossoms and Ume blossoms. Now we look forward to have a wonderful season of cherry blossoms, April.