Girls Day (also called Hina Matsuri- China doll festival or Momo No Sekku- Peach flower festival) takes place on the third day of the third month. A set of dolls wearing ancient kimonos are displayed at homes with Japanese girls. Some of the displays are quite elaborate and have up to five levels. The top shelf is always where the Empress (Ohina-sama) and Emperor (Osairi-sama) are set. The next level is usually for the sannin-kanjo dolls (three court women) along with gonin bayashi dolls (five court musicians). Additional dolls, cherry blossom trees, lamps, elaborate decorations and diamond shaped rice cakes are placed on other shelves.Parents pray for their daughter's happiness and health by eating special foods.
There is also a bit of superstition that surrounds dismantling the display by a certain date if you want your daughter to marry in the future! Most of these displays are gifts given when a daughter is born (usually by the maternal grandmother).
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