Most viewed - Katsuura Big Hinamatsuri かつうらビッグひな祭り |
The small coastal town of Katsuura holds one of Japan's most impressive hina matsuri doll festival during late Feb. to early March. 245 viewsA whopping 25,000 hina ningyo dolls are displayed all over town. Photo: JR Katsuura Station on the Sotobo Line. Katsuura is about 2 hours from Tokyo on non-express trains. Board the Sotobo Line at Chiba Station.
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Origami hina dolls201 views
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So, I think I saw most of the 25,000 hina dolls on display at Katsuura.180 views
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When you arrive at Katsuura Station, you'll see a big display of hina matsuri dolls. Don't be impressed yet though. The Katsuura Big Hinamatsuri festival is held during late Feb. until March 3 which is Girls Day.153 views
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Doll display at Kakuoji temple's Sanmon Gate. About 600 dolls here. Displayed from 8 am to 6:30 pm and lit up at 5 pm. Accented by nanohana rape blossoms.153 views
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Meiji Period145 views
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Origami hina dolls143 views
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Placing hina dolls in bamboo is common.141 views
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This is the famous display of hina ningyo dolls on 60 steps of Tomisaki Shrine. It is the festival's centerpiece and main attraction.140 views
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Back in central Katsuura, a house with an elaborate display of hina dolls.139 views
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Noren shop curtain with hina doll design.138 views
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Hina matsuri dolls at Tona street intersection in Katsuura, Chiba. About 600 dolls are displayed here from 8 am to 5 pm during the festival period.135 views
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This Big Hina Matsuri festival started relatively recently. The city of Katsuura got the idea for this festival after the town of Katsuura in Tokushima Prefecture (Shikoku) started its Big Hina Matsuri in 1989.133 views
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133 views
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When planning to visit the hina matsuri in Katsuura, make sure it will not rain. If it rains, the hina dolls will not be displayed outdoors. They are the most impressive ones. This is at the Tona street intersection.130 views
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All over central Katsuura, you will see hina dolls displayed, especially at storefronts. It makes it a very charming sight.128 views
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Dolls depicting figure skaters Takahashi Daisuke and Ando Miki who appeared at the Vancouver Winter Olympics during the time of the hina matsuri.127 views
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This neighborhood bookstore has hina dolls under the magazine racks.126 views
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A futon bedding shop has hina dolls made of blankets.126 views
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Are those ping-pong ball heads?126 views
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A few minutes walk from Katsuura Station, this Tona street intersection will be the first giant display of hina dolls you will see. 墨名(とな)交差点125 views
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It was a nice sunny weekday when I went. On weekends, they have various entertainment. But the weekends were cloudy or rainy this year.125 views
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125 views
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An early-blooming variety of cherry blossom also bloom in Katsuura during the hina matsuri, making it an added attraction. It was held during Feb. 20 to March 3, 2010 when I went.124 views
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124 views
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Even this soft drink vending machine had hina dolls.122 views
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The dolls are displayed from 8 am to 7 pm (or 8 pm on weekends). If it rains, the dolls are not displayed.122 views
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They use simple, everyday materials to make these hina dolls.122 views
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122 views
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Tourist info office near Katsuura Station. They offer maps of the city and hina matsuri points of interest.121 views
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Central Katsuura is compact, and you can reach most places on foot. Sign points the way to Tomisaki Shrine. There are a few places in Katsuura where you can see giant displays of hina dolls. Tomisaki Shrine is the centerpiece.121 views
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The whole town has become involved in the festival's success. Many owners of shops and homes where tourists pass by decorate their buildings with hina dolls.121 views
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Walk further and you see this small space exhibiting origami hina dolls.121 views
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If it starts to rain, the surrounding neighbors will come out immediately to put away the dolls. There was no threat of rain this day.120 views
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Since it's wasteful to throw away these hina dolls, they send them to places like Katsuura to be reused. Katsuura's collection has thus grown to 25,000 as people all over Japan sent their old dolls.120 views
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120 views
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About 1,200 hina dolls are sitting on these steps. This doll display is assembled every morning at 7 am and put away every evening during the festival. It takes around 15 people about an hour to set up the dolls every morning during the festival.120 views
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These hanging decorations called tsurushi kazari (つるし飾り) often flank the hina dolls. Hanging on the strings are various decorations such as goldfish. Each decoration is significant for something, usually related to prosperity, good health and fo120 views
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Hina dolls made of quilt material.120 views
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Kakuoji temple 覚翁寺(かくおうじ)山門前119 views
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Since Katsuura town in Tokushima had the same name as Katsuura in Chiba, they lent 7,000 hina dolls to Katsuura in Chiba to start their own "Big Hina Matsuri."118 views
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118 views
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The 2nd floor of the public library also displays handmade hina dolls made by local nursery school kids.117 views
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From the Taisho Period.117 views
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About the Katsuura Hina Matsuri doll festival.115 views
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Hina dolls outside the ryokan.115 views
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Next to the temple is the public library, another venue for doll displays.114 views
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114 views
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Edo Period hina dolls114 views
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The hina dolls are traditionally displayed in a home to pray for the health and growth of the family's children. However, after the kids grow up, the hina dolls are no longer displayed.113 views
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Sushi (my lunch) with a hina doll and sakura flower design. The head is made of cheese.113 views
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113 views
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The festival in Katsuura, Chiba has grown to have a whopping 25,000 hina dolls on exhibit during late Feb. to March 3, the traditional Girls Day. It has since become famous in the Tokyo (Kanto) area as the TV news report it in late Feb.112 views
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Each hina doll thus represents a family's hope, prayer, and history.112 views
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If the dolls are displayed and it starts to rain, people in the neighborhood all rush out to put away the dolls.112 views
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112 views
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This is by far the biggest hina doll display I had ever seen in Japan. A hina matsuri of similar scale is also held in Katsuura, Tokushima Prefecture.111 views
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111 views
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111 views
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This shop decorated its stairway and 2nd floor.111 views
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Inside the ryokan are hina dolls.111 views
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Doll display at Kakuoji temple's Sanmon Gate. This is at the end of the Chuo Shotengai shopping street. 覚翁寺(かくおうじ)山門前111 views
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111 views
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Hina dolls in bamboo.111 views
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Entering Tomisaki Shrine.110 views
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110 views
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110 views
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Morning market gets really crowded later in the afternoon when more tourists arrive.110 views
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110 views
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110 views
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Older dolls are also displayed.110 views
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108 views
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The 2nd floor of the public library exhibits hina dolls.108 views
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Dolls in a bottle108 views
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Hina matsuri dolls at Katsuura City Hall. About 500 dolls here, displayed from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm during the festival period.108 views
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Way to Tomisaki Shrine.107 views
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107 views
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Doll exhibit for a photo op. Sit there to take a picture with the dolls.107 views
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It says, "Katsuura Hina Matsuri."106 views
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This Matsu no Ie ryokan is an Important Cultural Property. 松の家106 views
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Tourist information106 views
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These dolls are also lit up at night until 8 pm when they are put away.105 views
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105 views
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This is the Katsuura Chuo Shotengai shopping street, the festival's main street. It leads to Kakuoji temple and the public library where there are more dolls.105 views
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105 views
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Katsuura City Hall105 views
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Held at the same time as the doll festival is the Asa-ichi morning market along a back street.104 views
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One more place to see hina dolls is at Katsuura City Hall. Walkable from the public library.104 views
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As soon as you step into Katsuura City Hall, you see this large stand of hina dolls.104 views
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Each vendor at the morning market also displays hina dolls along with their wares. Very nice touch.103 views
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Inside Katsuura City Hall103 views
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101 views
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