JAPAN: Hundreds of Japanese girls float paper dolls on a river, hoping that the ritual will bring them good luck and fortune

Record ID: 465256

  • Title: JAPAN: Hundreds of Japanese girls float paper dolls on a river, hoping that the ritual will bring them good luck and fortune
  • Date: 2nd March 2007
  • Summary: (L!3) TOKYO, JAPAN (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DOLLS BEING DISPLAYED
  • Embargoed: 17th March 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA74VWZXT9PW91FY5HG4O3B15QE
  • Story Text: Hundreds of Japanese girls float paper dolls on a river flowing through Tokyo's Meiji shrine on Sunday (February 25, 2007) as part of an ancient ceremony to wish for good luck and fortune. Hundreds of Japanese girls floated paper dolls on Sunday (February 25) as part of an ancient ceremony to pray for good luck and fortune.
    The young girls gathered at Tokyo's Meiji Jingu shrine with their parents, where they wrote their wishes on paper dolls before floating them on a river that runs through the shrine.
    The ceremony, which is a ritual of Japan's native religion Shinto, dates back to the Heian Era (794 - 1185). The dolls, called "Hina-ningyo" were offered to the Shinto gods with hopes that they would purify the girls by taking their troubles and bad spirits away.
    "I prayed for the good health of my family members and our pet dog," said nine-year-old Kaoru Akiyama.
    Others asked for the gods' attention in achieving their goals in the future.
    "I made a wish that I would be a great dancer," said eight-year-old Hinami Sato.
    The organizer of the event, who is a Shinto priest at the shrine, said he hoped the event can teach young Japanese generations about the Shinto traditions, which was prominent during World War II.
    "We want to pass on centuries-old traditions to children through these annual events from generation to generation," Shinto priest Haruyoshi Takeuchi said.
    Shinto was the official state religion during World War Two that was used to unify Japan and heralding the country as the "divine country with the Emperor at its center".
    This centuries-old ceremony has faded away in Japan and has instead been replaced by "Girls Day," which falls on March 3. On this day, girls and their parents display dolls on a special red stand at their homes.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Footage contains identifiable children: users must ensure that they comply with local laws and regulations governing the publishing of this material.
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