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Hinamatsuri (Doll Festival) & 10 Girls’ Day Recipes 雛祭り

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Hinamatsuri or Girl’s Day in Japan is celebrated with special foods, such as chirashi sushi, clam soup, and strawberry daifuku.

Hinamatsuri Chirashi Sushi Cake | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com

March 3rd is Girl’s Day in Japan and we celebrate Hinamatsuri or Doll Festival (雛祭り), wishing and praying for the future happiness of all girls.

Mini Hina Ningyo

The families who have girls will display their special Hina Dolls or Hina Ningyo (雛人形) on this special occasion.  The miniature Hina Ningyo above was gifted by my best friend from Osaka long time ago, and I look forward to decorating with this ornament out every year.

When a baby girl is born, her parents or grandparents buy a set of Hina Ningyo or they pass their own set down to the girl.  These dolls are dressed in costumes originally worn in the royal court during ancient times, and are displayed on a terraced stand shown below (image courtesy of Wiki).

Hinaningyo

10 Popular Menus for Hinamatsuri

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In addition to the doll display, the Japanese also eat spring- and pink color- theme foods and sweets on this day to celebrate.

Chirashi Sushi 五目ちらし寿司 | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com

1. Chirashi Sushi ちらし寿司・五目寿司・ばら寿司

The Japanese typically eat Chirashi Sushi on Girls’ Day.  It’s colorful and pretty, perfect for girls!  I also have a quick recipe with premade Chirashi Sushi Mix that is widely available in Japanese/Asian grocery stores.

Temari Sushi | JustOneCookbook.com

2. Temari Sushi 手まり寿司

These colorful and beautiful sushi balls are called Temari Sushi, and they are perfect for celebrating Girl’s Day!  It’ll be a fun to set up a DIY Temari Sushi Party for your children or girls!

Chirashi Sushi Cake | JustOneCookbook.com

3. Chirashi Sushi Cake & Chakin Sushi ちらし寿司ケーキと茶巾寿司

If you want to make your regular chirashi sushi a bit more special, you can make this Chirashi Sushi Cake!  It might look difficult to make but trust me, it’s really easy!

Inari Sushi | JustOneCookbook.com

4. Inari Sushi 稲荷寿司

If you are looking for a finger food recipe, Inari Sushi is a perfect dish!  Check out the recipe to see how I prepare this recipe.  It’s slightly different from the traditional method. 😉

Japanese Clam Soup with Clear Broth あさりの潮汁 | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com

5. Ushio-jiru or Clam Soup うしお汁・はまぐりのお吸い物

Ushio-jiru is a clear soup made with seafood such as white fish or clams, and seasoned with only salt and sake.  Clear Clam Soup is the most popular soup to go with chirashi sushi.  I have a Clam Soup recipe that has miso flavor.

Sakura Mochi | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com

6. Sakura Mochi 桜餅

For desserts, you can enjoy spring-theme sweets such as Sakura Mochi.  The salt pickled cherry leaf gives nice contrast to the sweet red bean mochi.

Strawberry Daifuku | JustOneCookbook.com

7. Strawberry Daifuku Mochi いちご大福

Another popular dessert is Strawberry Daifuku.  Tangy and sweet strawberry wrapped with sweet red bean paste and soft and chewy mochi.  Japanese strawberries are in season during spring, so this spring-theme dessert is perfect for Girl’s Day!

Hanami Dango (花見団子) | Sanshoku Dango (三色団子) | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com

8. Hanami Dango 花見団子

Hanami Dango is enjoyed during cherry blossom viewing and these three-color rice balls (Sanshoku Dango) is a popular treat in spring!

Mitarashi Dango | JustOneCookbook.com

9. Mitarashi Dango みたらし団子

Classic Mitarashi Dango is much easier to make compared to Sanshoku Dango.  Enjoy the savory sweet glaze on top of chewy dango mochi!

Hina Arare

10. Hina Arare 雛あられ

On Hinamatsuri, kids enjoy eating these rice crispy snacks called Hina Arare.  The rice crackers are coated with sugar but it’s not too sweet and has a nice crisp texture.  You can purchase these colorful treats in Japanese grocery stores.

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ENJOY HINAMATSURI!

We hope you enjoy these Hinamatsuri menu I put together.  Happy Hinamatsuri! 🎎

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on Mar 1, 2013.

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  2. Kimmi

    This is such a delightful celebration; thanks for including the background about Hinamatsuri. The menu that you put together is so cute — I wish I had the luxury to enjoy those dishes! Maybe I’ll go out and treat myself to something special tonight… ^^

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  3. Girl’s Day!! That is super cool! Japanese girls are the prettiest women on this planet. Happy Hinamatsuri!

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  4. What an interesting day and tradition, Nami!
    By the way, what is the name of the first dish (made from rice and shrimp, and topped with a gorgeous edible flower)? It is gorgeous!!! Happy girl’s day for you and your daughter!!!

    5
    Reply to Denise [email protected] Brazil To You'> Reply

  13. Julia Yuko Lee

    Thank you Nami, for sharing these recipes. They are so beautiful to look at! I have made barasushi and strawberry mochi before, but your recipes and photos help refine my technique so it will look much prettier! I appreciate you sharing your older posts since I am new to your blog…

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    • Thank you so much for the kind words Julia! I’m not the most detailed person so I probably hide the flaw well or my camera does a good job. 😉 I made 3 separate attempts to take good looking strawberry daifuku pictures too. Thanks again!

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  17. What a wonderful celebration! Happy Girls’ Day Celebration and thanks for sharing this sushi recipes. I applaud you for these important holidays, they bring the families together! Thanks also for the kind comments and blog visits – it’s always a treat when you come to visit me, Namiko. Have a wonderful weekend! Enjoy and wish you lived closer, too! All the best to you and your family 🙂

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    Reply to Elizabeth @Mango_Queen'> Reply

  19. What a lovely celebration Nami! What a special day 🙂 And the Menu is even more special. Spectacular!

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  20. Nami, I love that Japan celebrates a girls day! Very cool! And, of course, you have so many delectable dishes that would be perfect for this occasion. Beautiful…every single one of them!

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    Reply to Liz'> Reply

  24. I love the idea of this. What a great way to honour girls/women. I have just picked up Alfie from a party. He went to Hiro’s party, a boy in his class who is new to the school having just arrived from Japan. He doesn’t speak much English but apparently he and Alfie are getting along beautifully! I will mention your blog to his mother xx

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    Reply to Hotly Spiced'> Reply

  27. Eha

    Being the mother of two girls who both have been to Japan since theri childhood and absolutely love the place, may I say a big ‘thank you’ for this lovely set of photos and explanation! Girls’ Day: heavens above – of course . . . what a gentle delight . . .

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  30. happy girl’s day! thanks for compiling this yummy and gorgeous menu! i’m heading to my favorite japanese supermarket tomorrow and i’ll be looking out for a chirashi mix and inari ^^ though i really wish i dared the very pretty strawberry daifuku mochi ^^

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    Reply to hui'> Reply

  35. What a fun tradition/holiday. I had never heard of this before….I always learn something new and beautiful here! And all the food you shared looks just perfect. A great way to celebrate. Thank you for sharing!

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  38. Couple days late but happy hinamatsuri! 🙂

    Looks like a lot of fun with lots of great food! I never knew about this custom before – do boys get a day too?

    Wish we’d adopt it in the west… I remember every year on mother’s day I’d ask my parents why children never get a day, to which they’d always reply: “Every day is children’s day, darling!” – grrrrr :p

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    Reply to Charles'> Reply

  41. Leigh Anne

    Nami, I just found your website tonight and you’ve inspired me to make lots of yummy goodies for my girls tomorrow. We were planning on making mochi and manju for Hinamatsuri but the strawberry daifuku looks amazing!

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    Reply to Leigh Anne'> Reply

  42. Happy Hinamatsuri Day. At first I thought this doll collection was yours, pretty impressive. Did you bring some with you to the States? All of your dishes are beautiful. When I lived in Yokohama I had the wonderful opportunity of being invited to someones home to celebrate this event. We had scattered sushi and many beautiful dishes but not any as pretty as yours. Stunning photography Nami-san. If I happen to run across special Sakura (cherry blossom) leaves to wrap mochi, I will let you know. Take Care, BAM

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    Reply to Bam's Kitchen'> Reply

  44. I am no longer a small girl, but I wouldn’t mind celebrating this day every year all my life if it means having such delightful food! (By the way, I love the mini “fork” at the last photo; I can very well visualise myself using it to take the dango balls off the skewers…). Looking at the last photo, I have been wondering… do the children in Japan also drink tea? I still remember how a French friend was shocked when I said I drank tea since the age of maybe 6… Of course it was weaker than adults’ brown tea, but I don’t recall it as a step towards adolescence or adulthood (not like drinking coffee which was a sign of being adult 😉 ).
    Happy Hinamatsuri!

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    Reply to Sissi'> Reply

  45. Great celebration! Happy Girl’s Day! Thanks for the info, and all the great links. The food styling (and photography) on that top picture is wonderful.

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  46. Happy Hinamatsuri to you and your family! What a great tradition! I love the display of dolls and everything surrounding this wonderful tradition. And of course, your suggested dishes for this celebration are wonderful. Each is so simple and beautiful. Can I come to dinner? 🙂

    51
    Reply to mjskit'> Reply

  50. Back in Russia we had International women day on March 8. But it’s similar to Valentines’s Day in US. I love Japanese traditions, you know it all ready, it’s so beautiful and so much meaning to every step. I did not know about the doll display. Very interesting Nami, thank you!

    55
    Reply to Yelena'> Reply

  53. 素敵！Your chirashi and temari sushi are exquisite, Nami-san! I’ve been seeing and enjoying =) sakura mochi in Japan. The scent of the sakura leaf wrapped around the wagashi is heavenly. とにかく、おめでとうございますcongratulations on your gorgeous Girls’ Day creations =)

    58
    Reply to The Ninja Baker'> Reply

  58. Oh what a great holiday 🙂 I remember my teacher telling me about it when I learned Japanese in High School many years ago hehe ~ I’ve always wanted one of those dolls at home. My grandfather was a captain of a cargo ship and during the war, his ship was in Japan so my uncle is born in Japan and they left a year later 🙂 and my grandmother bought one of these dolls and still has it today in her room 😀

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  61. Diana

    Oh how I remember celebrating girls day in Los Angeles in Little Tokyo as I was growing up. My favorite was dango and chicken teriyaki on a stick with all the sweets I can eat. I still have my small doll collection that my mother started for me 58 years ago. Thanks for sharing this day with everyone.

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  66. Linda

    Was picking up sakura mochi at Shuei-Do in San Jose J-town and noticed that the Nijiya across the street had the cherry and oak leaves. Maybe the Nijiya near you also has it too? Would be fun to try your recipe for this holiday favorite!

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    Reply to Linda'> Reply

    • Hi Linda! You saw Nijiya selling cherry and oak leaves?? Really!!! I am going to check! I go to Nijiya all the time and how did I miss this opportunity… Thank you so much for letting me know! 🙂

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  67. Akemi

    Hi Nami! I really love the recipes you post. I’m half Japanese and half Chinese and I love to experiment making Japanese food and trying out variations of my favorite dishes. I work at a Japanese supermarket in Berkeley called Tokyo Fish Market and we just started carrying Sakura leaves. So if you’re ever in the east bay you should stop by 🙂

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    Reply to Akemi'> Reply

    • Hi Akemi-san! You are like my daughter – half Chinese and half Japanese. 🙂 I’ve never had a chance to visit Tokyo Fish Market before but I should check it out! Thank you for letting me know about sakura leaves! So during end of March they start carrying.. I need to remember. Maybe I was looking for it too early. Thank you so much for writing!

      By the way, Tokyo Fish Market is one of the few stores who carry my favorite rice from Far West Rice “Komachi”. The rice is only sold on some stores in the Bay Area, so I’m happy that Tokyo Fish Market is one of them! 🙂

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  69. Elisa Zita

    Hello I am Italiana and I love the recipes you have put together I eat japanese foods as the diet is refreshing and very healthy my dream is to go to japan to live Thank you yes I now about the dolls so sweet Arigato! Sayonara .

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    Reply to Elisa Zita'> Reply

  72. Tina Chua

    Hi Nami

    I’m Tina again.I’m thinking of cooking your miso salmon soon.When i read your recipe u said to marinade 3omins-1 hr maximum.But when i read your recipe for miso cod, u marinated it min overnight.Why is there such a great difference in d marinating time for the 2 fish ?Both of them are also oily fish.

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    Reply to Tina Chua'> Reply

    • Hi Tina! Traditionally, Misozuke 味噌漬け is a way to preserve the fish for a long time, which is why you marinate the fish with miso for a long time. However, this recipe is just for marinating and cooking. 🙂

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