By TADASHI MIZOWAKI/ Staff Writer
February 14, 2024 at 07:30 JST
Around 10,000 handmade “hina” dolls hang in the lobby of the Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel on Feb. 3. (Tadashi Mizowaki)
NAGOYA--Around 10,000 stately hanging “hina” dolls delight tourists from Japan and abroad at the Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel here.
The annual exhibition runs until March 3, the day of “Hinamatsuri” or “Girls’ Day,” a celebration featuring hina dolls.
The hanging Hina doll decorations, which date to the late Edo Period (1603-1867), wish for the healthy growth of baby girls and good fortune in their future marriages.
The beautiful dolls on display at the hotel were handmade out of old kimono, traditional obi and other fabrics by about 50 members of the Oharu Town Miyabi Association.
The little dolls are shaped like animals, foods, babies, and more--and each carries its own special meaning. For example, the owl symbolizes happiness, or a life without hardship.
The roughly 10,000 dolls hang from a corridor-like wooden framework that is 3.8 meters high and 5.2 meters in diameter.
The stunning hanging dolls and a tiered hina display add vibrant colors to the hotel lobby on the 15th floor.
In honor of the Year of the Dragon, about 70 stuffed dragons are also displayed in a special exhibition area.
The uniform of Kazuyoshi Tatsunami, the manager of the local professional baseball team Chunichi Dragons, is on display as well to support the team.
The Oharu Town Miyabi Association also plans to hold a charity bazaar at the Nagoya Congress Center on Feb. 15 on the sidelines of a meeting aimed at boosting tourism in Aichi Prefecture and the entire nation.
The proceeds will be donated to areas affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake.
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