From Ambassador ("Hinamatsuri" in Samoa)
2025/3/5
"Hinamatsuri" in Samoa
March 3rd is the day when "Hinamatsuri" is celebrated in Japan, which is held to pray for the happiness of girls. During Hinamatsuri, it is customary for each household to display hina dolls. They come in different sizes, but the most authentic and formal one is a set of hina dolls displayed on a seven-tiered shelf, like the one in the photo. There are specific rules about which dolls should be placed on each tier.
It has become rare for ordinary households to display such large sets, but fortunately, our embassy has a splendid set of dolls as part of the Government effort for the promotion and enhanced understanding of Japanese culture abroad. So, it has become customary to decorate the entrance with this set of dolls every year.
On the top shelf, there is a pair of hina dolls representing a male and female, thought to symbolise the Emperor and Empress.
While there is no "Hinamatsuri" in Samoa, March 8th is International Women's Day, a day for international solidarity and unified action aimed at improving the status of women and eliminating discrimination against them. Here, there are plans for promotional and awareness events to support women working in the market, led by UN Women. Naturally, this initiative targets not only girls but also adult women.
Samoa may seem like a paradise at first glance, but it is said that women here, especially younger girls, are not infrequently exposed to domestic violence and child abuse. Wishing for their "happiness" and the enhancement of the guarantee and protection of their human rights, we would like to modestly celebrate "Hinamatsuri" here.
March 3rd is the day when "Hinamatsuri" is celebrated in Japan, which is held to pray for the happiness of girls. During Hinamatsuri, it is customary for each household to display hina dolls. They come in different sizes, but the most authentic and formal one is a set of hina dolls displayed on a seven-tiered shelf, like the one in the photo. There are specific rules about which dolls should be placed on each tier.
It has become rare for ordinary households to display such large sets, but fortunately, our embassy has a splendid set of dolls as part of the Government effort for the promotion and enhanced understanding of Japanese culture abroad. So, it has become customary to decorate the entrance with this set of dolls every year.
On the top shelf, there is a pair of hina dolls representing a male and female, thought to symbolise the Emperor and Empress.
While there is no "Hinamatsuri" in Samoa, March 8th is International Women's Day, a day for international solidarity and unified action aimed at improving the status of women and eliminating discrimination against them. Here, there are plans for promotional and awareness events to support women working in the market, led by UN Women. Naturally, this initiative targets not only girls but also adult women.
Samoa may seem like a paradise at first glance, but it is said that women here, especially younger girls, are not infrequently exposed to domestic violence and child abuse. Wishing for their "happiness" and the enhancement of the guarantee and protection of their human rights, we would like to modestly celebrate "Hinamatsuri" here.