An Unconventional Japanese Girls' Day! Instead of Dolls, Displays Feature Demon Slayer and Guinea Pigs!?

Every year on March 3rd, Japan celebrates the traditional festival known as Hinamatsuri, or Girls' Day. This festival is widely recognized for the custom of displaying ornamental dolls, called hina-ningyō, on tiered platforms at home. These dolls represent the emperor, empress, attendants, and musicians dressed in Heian period court attire. Each tier of the display holds different dolls, arranged in a specific order, symbolizing the traditional court hierarchy.

In many Japanese households, the tiered platforms are set up in the days leading to March 3rd, and the dolls are carefully arranged to celebrate and pray for the health, happiness, and prosperous futures of young girls. The tradition has deep cultural roots dating back to the Edo period and is closely associated with the blooming of peach blossoms, which are believed to ward off evil spirits. The festival is also known as the Peach Festival (Momo no Sekku) because of this connection.

Traditionally, the dolls are displayed only for the festival period and are put away promptly after March 3rd to avoid superstition that leaving them out too long will delay a daughter's marriage. The celebration also includes special foods such as multi-colored rice crackers (hina-arare), chirashizushi (scattered sushi), diamond-shaped rice cakes (hishi mochi), and clam soup symbolizing a happy marriage.

Modern Takes on the Girls' Day Doll Displays

While the traditional doll displays remain popular, recent years have seen creative and playful variations of the festival's ornamental setups. With changing times, many Japanese people have started to reinterpret the festival by replacing the solemn hina dolls with other charming and whimsical figures, reflecting contemporary interests and pop culture.

For example, in Chiba City Zoo, a special Girls' Day altar was created featuring guinea pig versions of the dolls. This playful display coincided with the popularity of the animated series PG Tips: Guinea Pig Car, making the guinea pigs adorably seated on the tiered platforms. Similarly, Hirakata Park also showcased a "guinea pig altar", delighting visitors with this cute twist on tradition.

On social media, Japanese fans have shared other imaginative displays, such as a set of Demon Slayer anime character dolls arranged in the traditional tiered style. This reflects how popular culture has influenced the way some families celebrate, moving away from the conventional hina dolls to characters beloved by younger generations.

Others have humorously replaced the emperor and empress dolls with oversized, plump bird plush toys, turning the display into a fun and heartwarming spectacle that sparks joy and a sense of youthful whimsy.

There are also highly artistic and elaborate alternative displays that maintain the festival's spirit of celebrating girls while embracing new forms of expression. These modern adaptations show how the essence of Girls' Day—wishing for the happiness and well-being of girls—remains strong, even as the modes of celebration evolve.

Conclusion

Hinamatsuri continues to be a cherished festival in Japan, honoring girls and their futures with traditional doll displays and festive foods. At the same time, the festival has embraced creativity and modern culture, with many families and communities putting their own unique spins on the ornamental doll arrangements. Whether with classic hina dolls or playful alternatives, the festival remains a vibrant celebration of girls' happiness and prosperity.

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