Hina means small.
Dolls, which are shaped like small human beings are used to pray for people’s happiness, have been made throughout the world.
In Japan, the practice of giving or displaying Hina dolls to pray for health and happiness of small girls began in the Edo era (17 th Century).
Ohinasama is the symbol of parents wish that they could load the dolls with evil and trouble so that their daughters grow healthily.
I have a pair of these little dolls sitting on my headboard. Mom gave them to me, the second day of my stay in Japan. Symbolic- but true. Is that not what moms do? worrying about their kids day in day out. Though I do wish that dolls like these worked. Take all the trouble lil daughters may come across on themselves. Instead, moms do it. Worry and suffer. I have seen my mom go from a really pretty young woman to a lady who though looks dignified, wears years much beyond her true age. She has aged not because the years have been rough, but because she worried each time any of us took any exam, or made a career choice. She has taken pride in our successes but has taken our lows worse than us. That has taken a toll on this spirited woman who cannot make the ride smooth for us, so she does what she has done best so far. Given us good shoes but still worried about each bump.
I wonder why they make the dolls for the daughters. Should make them for the moms. The daughters have their ohinasamas. Moms need them more.
Dolls, which are shaped like small human beings are used to pray for people’s happiness, have been made throughout the world.
In Japan, the practice of giving or displaying Hina dolls to pray for health and happiness of small girls began in the Edo era (17 th Century).
Ohinasama is the symbol of parents wish that they could load the dolls with evil and trouble so that their daughters grow healthily.
I have a pair of these little dolls sitting on my headboard. Mom gave them to me, the second day of my stay in Japan. Symbolic- but true. Is that not what moms do? worrying about their kids day in day out. Though I do wish that dolls like these worked. Take all the trouble lil daughters may come across on themselves. Instead, moms do it. Worry and suffer. I have seen my mom go from a really pretty young woman to a lady who though looks dignified, wears years much beyond her true age. She has aged not because the years have been rough, but because she worried each time any of us took any exam, or made a career choice. She has taken pride in our successes but has taken our lows worse than us. That has taken a toll on this spirited woman who cannot make the ride smooth for us, so she does what she has done best so far. Given us good shoes but still worried about each bump.
I wonder why they make the dolls for the daughters. Should make them for the moms. The daughters have their ohinasamas. Moms need them more.
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