TOHOKU TOWN, Japan - Service members stationed at Misawa Air Base and their families participated in a Hinamatsuri festival in Tohoku Town, Japan, Feb. 28.
Hinamatsuri festivals are held throughout Japan to celebrate the life of young girls.
The service members and their families joined local residents at Tohoku Town’s Lake Ogawara Community Center where traditional hina dolls were displayed while children constructed kaleidoscopes and adults made sushi.
Capt. Keith Henry, commanding officer of Naval Air Facility Misawa, gave opening remarks that highlighted the importance of sharing Japan and American cultures at events.
“It was a great event because it not only taught base families about Japanese culture but we had Japanese students and parents working side by side with American students and parents which allows them a deeper understanding across both cultures,” said Henry.
Everyone got the chance to pound steamed rice into a pulp, called mochi, using a traditional wooden mallet. Mochi pounding is popular at many holidays and special ceremonies in Japan. The hot mochi is served with various foods, of which, dehydrated seaweed and sweetened bean paste are two of the most popular.
“We celebrate Hinamatsuri on March 3rd as the Girl's Day or the Festival of Dolls. We display a set of dolls and pray for the sound growth of the girls in our families. People enjoy sweet mild sake and diamond-shaped rice cakes that are placed on the doll-stand,” said Hikaru Maita, a life-long resident of the local area.
The origins of this event started during Japan’s Heian period when they believed that dolls had the power to contain bad spirits. Straw dolls, known as hina, were put in boats that were placed in a river to drift out to sea supposedly taking troubles and bad spirits with them.
Tohoku’s Defense Bureau organized the event.
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.03.2015 01:57 |
| Story ID: | 155755 |
| Location: | TOHOKU TOWN, AOMORI, JP |
| Hometown: | MISAWA AIR BASE, AOMORI, JP |
| Web Views: | 107 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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