Hina Ningyo Dolls at
Otaru Kihinkan
You can view beautiful Hina Ningyo dolls to celebrate Girl's Day at the
entrance hall of Otaru Kihinkan until March 3. There are dolls from the
Showa period as well as dolls made from washi (traditional Japanese paper).
Girl's Day, or Hinamatsuri, is held on March 3 each year to celebrate and
pray for the continued health and happiness of young girls. A week before
the festival or at the end of February, families display beautifully ornate Hina Ningyo dolls dressed in traditional Imperial Court attire. The intricately crafted
dolls are often displayed on 1, 2, 3, 5, or 7 tiers covered with a red carpet in a precise order. However, while the dolls order by tier is the same, the placement within the tier (left/right) may differ depending on region. For example, in
eastern Japan, the Odairisama (Emperor) is placed stage right (viewer's left)
and the Ohinasama (Empress) stage left (viewer's right), while Kyoto and some regions in western Japan place them stage left and stage right, respectively.
Top Tier - Dairibina (Emperor and Empress)
2nd Tier - Sannin-kanjo (three court ladies)
3rd Tier - Gonin-bayashi (five musicians)
4th Tier - Zuishin (court guards)
5th Tier - Jicho (helpers)
6th & 7th Tiers - household furniture/ornaments and carriages
around Showa 20, 1945
Showa 30, 1955
around Showa 40, 1965
Admission is free for Otaru Kihinkan,
but there is an admission fee to go into the Former Aoyama Villa.
(view of Former Aoyama Villa from the restaurant inside Otaru Kihinkan)
Former Aoyama Villa Admission Fee
Adult (Middle School Student and above) 1,100 yen
Child (Elementary School Student ) 550 yen
3-63 Shukutsu, Otaru
(map)
+81-134-24-0024
Hours
Apr - Oct1: 9:00 - 17:00
Nov - Mar: 9:00 - 16:00
Dec 29 - 31: 9:00 - 15:00
・last entry at 30 min prior to closing
・closed Jan 1 - 7
Restaurant Hours
Apr - Oct: 10:00 - 17:00
Nov - Mar: 10:00 - 16:00
・lunch menu 11:00 - 14:30
・last cafe order is 30 min prior to closing
・closed Dec 26 - Jan 7
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